A Light in the Darkness: Awakened
by LadyAlambiel
Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot. *REVISED
1. Prologue: Evil Stirs

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

**A Light in the Darkness: Awakened**

**by**

**LadyAlambielKnightofNarnia**

Prologue: Evil Stirs

Narnia

24 Sunbend 1001

Seven hundred years had passed since he last looked on the Eastern countries and a hundred more since he had stood upon Narnian soil. Nevertheless, with Jadis and her enchanted winter gone, he could finally continue the plans she had interrupted with her ultimately futile ambitions. A slight smile stretched his thin lips as he contemplated how much fun he was going to have with Jadis' successors. Four children, children who knew nothing of his role in Narnia's dark early days. And, why would they? Everyone who would have warned these children believed him dead. Even those cursed Centaurs didn't know he was still around.

He smiled again as he drew his cloak closer to his body. No, this time would be so much more fun and far easier than last time. All he had to do was wait for his pawns to reach their appropriate places. Not even the Lion could stop him this time.

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Colorado Springs, Colorado

21 June 2011

A young woman fought her way through the crowd of reporters with the aid of four burly sheriff's deputies. She hoped this trial would finish faster than the D.A. predicted. She raised a hand to block the glare from another reporter's camera. Being the star witness and only survivor of a serial killer...not fun, not fun at all. Maybe she would be forgotten once the media frenzy died down. She flinched when a microphone was stuck in her face. Maybe, and maybe animals could talk.

The crush of reporters surged closer. She lost her footing. A deputy shoved against her back, keeping her from falling down the courthouse steps. She turned her head to thank him, then she jerked and a sharp pain bloomed in the center of her chest. She had been shot! His threat wasn't completely empty after all. Her vision went black and the sound of screams faded until only an unspoken prayer remained. _Dear God, help me._

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Narnia

29 Sunbend 1001

The man consulted the bones again, though he wondered if they would again refuse to show him what he desired. Still, the faun child he had murdered should serve as an appropriate price for these fickle servants. He looked closer, reading the pattern, and hissed in delight. She was here. His newest toy was about to learn a harsh life lesson. He cackled as he tossed the bones once more. This was perfect! His final pawn had arrived, and now his plan could begin in earnest.

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	2. Chapter One: Where?

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter One: Where?

She sat up gasping as her hands frantically clutched at her heart. When her fingers touched only the soft cotton of her shirt, she looked down in disbelief. She should be bleeding or in pain or in a hospital, but all she saw was the unblemished fabric. Not one rip marred her top, much less the gaping hole she had expected to find. It was as if she had never been shot.

She shivered as a cool breeze reached her, and then stopped in shock. _It's June and we're in the middle of a heat wave. The breeze should not feel this cool._ She looked up and was glad she hadn't tried to stand yet, otherwise she would have fallen right back down. She was in the middle of a forest.

Forcing herself to move, she staggered to her feet and stared wide-eyed at her surroundings. The trees towered over her, and they were ancient. She could feel it. The peaceful yet ancient feeling was strange and she could not stop an errant thought. _Am I dead?_

She paused then shook the thought away. This didn't look quite like the heaven she had always heard of growing up. She frowned and looked around again, actually, it looked more like how she had always pictured..._Is that a lamppost?_

She walked through the slight gap in the trees and stopped in shock as she stared at an old-fashioned lamppost. It was lit though it was probably brighter when it was night or overcast. She reached out and barely brushed her fingers against it. It was cold and definitely metal. She shook her head again. _There's no way this is real. I must be dreaming or in a coma. Because the lamppost in the woods only exists in stories. This isn't real, I'm dreaming, and I think I want to wake up now._

She turned away, then hesitated and looked back at the lamppost with longing. The image reminded her of her favorite stories, the ones that had rescued her on the bad days when the nightmares seemed too real. She could curl up with the books and hide from the world around her. She reached up and fingered the two pendants around her neck. But, if it were real...

She froze as the feeling of being watched came over her. She tried to act casual as she leaned down to grab a fallen branch about the length of a baseball bat. She turned to face whoever was watching and saw...nothing. There was no one in the small clearing around the lamppost, she looked over the surrounding trees but as far as she could tell, she was alone.

She tightened her grip on the branch and cautiously approached the trees to her right. She had learned the hard way that just because she couldn't see them, it didn't mean someone wasn't watching her. She ducked under a low hanging tree limb and saw...nothing. She sighed, annoyed she had allowed herself to get worked up over what was clearly nothing but the wind moving through the trees. She walked back to the lamppost and stared at its dancing flame as she whispered, "Where am I?"

She reached out to touch the lamppost one last time when a scream split the air. She whirled around, but didn't see anybody. The scream sounded again, this time it sounded closer and young. She tensed, and then ran in direction of the screams. There was a child in trouble, and she wasn't about to stand by and do nothing.

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	3. Chapter Two: Making an Impression

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Two: Making an Impression

She broke into another clearing just as another terrified scream filled the air. A young girl lay pinned against the ground by a large tree branch. She was obviously the source of the screams, but it took a moment for her would-be rescuer to identify the danger until she realized the girl was staring in fear at something on the other side of the clearing. She turned and nearly dropped the branch out of shock. A pair of hideous creatures were creeping closer to the girl. One, a pale spindly thing, held a very primitive-looking spear and kept jabbing it at the trapped girl. The other was like a pale obese version of his companion, but he had a pig-like face and a club.

She didn't hesitate at all before charging at the two creatures. "Get away from her!" She slammed the tree branch against the spindly one's spear, knocking it to the ground before following with a backhand swing to the creature's ribs. She kicked him away as he collapsed with a shriek. She ducked under the other creature's club and jabbed him in the gut with her branch. He squealed and managed to land a glancing blow against her shoulder. She rolled to the side and smashed her boot against his knee then she hit him in the neck with the tree branch. The creature gagged, but still swung at her with the club. She backed up a little, and when he swung at her again, she put all of her might into slamming the tree branch against his neck.

She held the tree branch like a baseball bat and waited for the creature to move, but he never did. She blew a stray strand of hair out of her mouth and cautiously prodded the creature. But, it seemed the combination of her last blow and fall had broke the creature's neck. She poked the spindly creature too for good measure, but it was also dead. After what seemed like an eternity, she turned her attention to the young girl. "Are you all right? Did they hurt you?"

The girl looked up and terror filled her eyes as she pointed over the older girl's shoulder. She froze as a raspy voice spoke, "No, they didn't hurt her. But, I will. As soon as I take care of you."

She turned her head and shock warred with fear at the sight of the owner of the voice. _Dear God, if this is a dream, I want to wake up now._ A new, much larger creature stood only a few feet from where she knelt by the trapped girl. Its wolfish body was twisted to stand up right and it snarled at her as recognition flickered through her mind. _Werewolf!_

The Werewolf lunged forward and she smacked it across the snout with her tree branch. The Werewolf snarled in pain and rage. He charged again, catching the tree branch in his teeth and tearing it away as she tried to hit him again. A dark chuckle rumbled out of the Werewolf as he crouched in front of the two girls, "Supper time."

He lunged. The older girl leaped up and kicked him in the throat just hard enough to slow him down. She scrambled for the spear as he coughed then roared in rage. Her hand closed on the spear and she jerked it up right as he leaped on her. She heard the young girl scream behind her as the Werewolf's heavy weight slammed onto her. Bracing her boots against him, she managed to push the Werewolf's lifeless body off her. He flopped to the side with the spear still skewered in his chest, while she crawled over to the younger girl. "Let's try this again, are you all right?"

"Yes, well other than being stuck."

"Right, hold still and let's see if I can't get this tree limb off you." She wrapped both hands around the tree limb and lifted it up. "See if you can get out from under it now." She kept hold of the branch until the younger girl pulled her legs free, then she carefully lowered it back to the ground. She smiled at the girl, "Well, that was easy."

The sound of pounding hooves and growls cut off any further conversation as the older girl scrambled to her feet and lunged for the tree branch she had used earlier. She planted herself firmly between the young girl and the trees as several creatures broke into the clearing. She paled a little but still stood defiant as a Centaur lunged at her with drawn sword. Until he stopped at the younger girl's cry, "Oreius, no, don't hurt her!"

The woman in front of him never took her eyes off him as she called over her shoulder, "Friends of yours?"

"Yes."

She nodded and tossed the tree branch to the side, catching Oreius watching her, she shrugged. "Sword beats stick."

The other searchers closed in and Oreius stepped closer to the younger girl where she still sat on the ground. "Queen Lucy. I think an explanation is in order." Lucy blushed and nodded wordlessly as Oreius carefully picked her up. He nodded to one of the Leopards, "Sherket, we'll set up camp nearby. Select scouts to patrol the area, I want to know if these three were the only Fell Beasts present, and make sure our new guest finds her way to the camp."

The older girl looked from the Centaur to the Leopard and sighed. _I'm in trouble._ Another Centaur, a pair of Cheetahs, and a Cougar formed a semi-circle around her. She glanced at the bodies of the three creatures she had killed, then she hurried after Oreius at a slight warning growl from one of the Cheetahs. _I don't think this is a dream anymore. Might have been safer it was, though._

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**So, here is Oreius and Lucy's big debut and our mysterious stranger is in trouble...**

**Read and Review please...oh, and flames will be used to heat up my hot chocolate, i.e. I shall ignore them. Finally, Happy Veterans Day!**


	4. Chapter Three: Witch?

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Three: Witch?

The journey to the camp took less than an hour, but it was far enough that the older girl was completely lost. She hid a grimace as she realized that was probably intentional. Following behind the Centaur, Oreius, and being surrounded by the other four guards reminded her of the times she had been escorted to and from different police stations and courthouses. She sighed and fervently hoped this trip would end differently from the last time she was escorted anywhere. She glanced over at the Cougar, who never once looked at her. _Scratch that, I want this trip to end with me not being shot or eaten._

Entering the camp, she bit her lip to keep from shouting or giving in to the urge to run for her life. All around her were creatures. There were five more Centaurs, a number of big Cats, a Fox, and a loud group of Dogs in addition to several Satyrs and Fauns. One of the trees stirred in the breeze and what she could only assume was a Dryad appeared and took the young girl, Lucy, from Oreius. The camp turned most of its attention to the girl, but that didn't stop more than a few hard stares from being cast in her direction. Oreius glanced back once, then he turned away as the Centaur guard promptly nudged her toward a quiet corner of the camp.

The Cheetah to her left growled softly as he nodded at a log. "Sit there and be still until the General summons you. Try to escape or cause mischief of any kind and we will be forced to ensure you cannot repeat those actions."

Her eyes widened slightly, but she said nothing opting instead to sit quietly on the log. The Animals talk and there were mythological creatures walking around her. Either she was in Narnia or she was in one of the most vivid dreams she had ever had in her life. As two Centaurs walked by, she nodded to herself. _I'm in Narnia and I'm in trouble with the good guys. Perfect._

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"Oreius, she saved my life."

"That does not mean she is your friend, my queen. What if this was some elaborate attempt to gain your trust, so she can stab you in the back later?"

"Peace, Alaois. We will not assume this woman is an enemy until Sherket returns with her report." Oreius waited until the Satyr captain nodded, then he pierced the youngest queen of Narnia with a stern gaze. "Nor, will we assume she is a friend. My queen, you must give me your word that you will not speak with her until I have determined if she is friend or foe."

Inside he wanted to laugh as Lucy rolled her eyes, but he maintained his strict façade and hoped the youngest queen would not try to plead with him to change his mind. Like everyone else in Narnia, he would eventually give in if she asked him. Lucy sighed then nodded reluctantly, "All right, Oreius, I promise I won't talk to her until you make your decision."

Oreius bowed his head to her, "Then my queen, we shall leave you to take your rest." Alaois ducked out of the tent with him and Oreius nodded to Alithia as the Centauress passed them to enter the tent. He could barely hear the soft reprimand she was giving Lucy. He flicked his tail as he surveyed the camp, finding out the nine-year-old queen was missing in the pre-dawn hours that morning had scared everyone including him. Oreius sighed, and he still had to determine who was behind the attack on Lucy, if it was the young woman sitting across the camp or someone else, and worse, he had to figure out how best to inform the High King that not only did he manage to lose his youngest sister but she was almost killed as well. Today was going to be a very long day.

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A stir moved through the camp as the Leopard captain returned with the rest of the scouts. The girl watched from across the camp as the Leopard approached the Centaur. She had a feeling whatever news the Leopard carried would have a hand in determining her fate. She wished she could hear what they were saying, but then judging by the looks those close enough to hear were giving her, maybe she was better off not knowing. _Today is going to be a long day._

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Oreius stamped his left forehoof, "Are you certain, Sherket?"

"Of course, I am. General, I checked the scouts' findings myself. There is no doubt in my mind. Her scent simply appears a little ways from the Lamppost, likewise so do the scents of the three abominations who attacked Queen Lucy. It is as if none of them were anywhere near the clearing until they appeared just a few yards away from it. And, there is also the tree limb, sir."

"What about the tree limb?"

"It was a clean cut. That tree limb didn't just happen to fall on the queen. It was planned, and there were no tool marks. Sir, I think...I think magic was the cause of the tree limb falling on Queen Lucy. She should have been crushed."

"And, instead it barely bruised her while it pinned her to the ground making her an easy target for anyone hunting her."

Oreius heard the concerned murmurings of those close enough to hear, but he ignored them until Alaois spoke up. "She is a witch, then."

Oreius looked the Satyr in the eyes as he calmly stated, "We do not know that for certain."

"Oreius, we have witnessed Jadis work the same kind of mischief. A tree limb that should have crushed her majesty but instead merely traps her. Three Fell Beasts attack her, including a Werewolf, only to be killed by this stranger using a spear and a tree branch. Smells of witchcraft to me. I say we kill her now before she can cause any more mischief or worse."

Oreius shook his head, "No, we will not harm her. The circumstances are suspicious but that is not enough to kill her."

"Oh, and how else would she still be alive and by all accounts unharmed after going up against a Werewolf?"

"I don't know, but I assure you that I intend to find out. When I have determined how much of a threat she really is, then we will take her to stand before the Kings and Queens. Be it as a witch or not."

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! Do you like the story? Hate it? Not sure yet? Should I continue? Tell me by clicking that little review button...otherwise I shall have to join the Authors With No Feedback Anonymous group ;) And I have a bribe: if I get at least 1 review, I will post the next chapter (where the stranger's identity is revealed) tonight.**

**A/N2: Just to clarify, this is not a girl falls into her favorite books story. She knows about Narnia, but not for the reason you might think.**


	5. Chapter Four: Interview with a Centaur

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Four: Interview with a Centaur

The woman looked up as her guards suddenly left, the Centaur in charge was back and he was staring at her like she was some type of exotic creature he had never seen before and couldn't quite understand. A quick peek showed her that everyone who had been nearby were now conveniently as far away as possible. She looked back at Oreius and sighed, it seemed she was about to have an interview with a Centaur. At least he didn't look like he was going to kill her...yet.

"What is your name?"

"Katerina Alambiel."

Had she not been looking him in the eyes, she never would have seen it but when she mentioned her second name, true shock broke through the Centaur's steady gaze. He paused then took a step closer as he asked, "Your family name is Alambiel?"

"No. I don't have a family name. Alambiel is merely my second name."

Oreius nodded to himself before continuing with his intended questions. "Tell me, Katerina Alambiel, how did you come to be in Narnia?"

"Honestly? I have no idea."

Oreius thought about challenging her on that point, but something told him she was being completely truthful with him. "How did you find the queen? Were you following her or did someone tell you she would be in the Lantern Waste?"

A look of confusion crossed the woman's...no, Katerina Alambiel's face as she stared up at him. "I'm sorry, did you say 'queen'? You mean that little girl? Look, I had no idea who she was…is…but, more importantly, all I did was track down the screams. So, no sir, I did not follow her. Nor, did anyone tell me she was going to be in the woods today or yesterday or sometime next week. And, do you know why? Because until a couple of hours ago I had never once been to Narnia except for the stories I used to read as a child."

Oreius didn't even blink at her whispered tirade, "Why did you track the screams?"

"Because they were screams, so someone was hurt, in danger, or both. I had to find out."

"Why?"

"Why? How about because I could tell the screams were those of a child? And, I am not the type of person to stand by idly while a child could be hurt or in danger. I needed to know what was going on and if I could help in any way."

"So, instead you run toward the source of the screams armed with nothing-"

Oreius tried not to show his surprise when Katerina Alambiel dared to cut him off. "I was not unarmed. I had the tree branch I had picked up when I...um, when I thought I was being watched by something in the surrounding trees."

"So, you run toward the screams armed with only a tree branch, find the queen trapped, and throw yourself at a Ghoul, a Boggle, and a Werewolf. Why?"

"One, because it was the right thing to do. Two, I didn't stop to think about how stupid it was or how unlikely my survival would be. Three, I was not going to stand there and watch as two monsters killed a little girl. Four, I did not know about the Werewolf until after I attacked the other two things...Ghoul and Boggle. Five, even if I had known about the Werewolf I still would have attacked them. Why? Because it was the right thing to do. It was stupid and insane, but it was still the right thing to do."

Oreius stared down at Katerina Alambiel. She had risen to her feet during her speech, allowing him to get a good look at her. She was taller than he had first thought, not much shorter than Alithia's height at two inches past six feet, and she was lean like someone who did not eat as much as they needed to, but the outcome of her fight with the Fell Beasts told him she was stronger than she looked. Her hair was a deep shade of gold and pulled back into a knot so he couldn't tell how long it was while her eyes were blue. He guessed she would be considered pretty enough by human standards, but what fascinated him was the absolute certainty she spoke with about doing the right thing no matter how insane. He couldn't tell for sure how old she was other than he suspected she was several years older than the Four, but he had no doubt she had lived long enough to witness events that hardened her to others' judgment.

Never taking his eyes off hers, Oreius leaned in and whispered, "Are you a witch?"

She stared at him in shock then disbelief. "What? You cannot be serious. Of course, I'm not a witch. Why would you think I was one?"

"Then how did you come out of your fight with the Werewolf unharmed? Was he working for you? Did he know you were going to kill him or did you leave that part out when you ordered him to attack a queen of Narnia?"

"I suspect it was a combination of a miracle and a little bit of dumb luck that kept me from getting hurt in that fight. I didn't hire a Werewolf to attack anybody. I don't even know how to go about such a thing. I'm not a witch. The Werewolf did not work for me. He did know I was going to try and kill him, but I don't think he believed I would succeed. Actually, _I_ didn't think I was going to succeed especially after he tore the tree branch out of my hands."

"How did you kill him?"

"I kicked him in the throat and grabbed the skinny monster's spear. And, then he jumped on me but I was holding the spear so he basically killed himself by landing on it."

Oreius shook his head, "You kicked him? And, then the Werewolf commits suicide by leaping on the spear you were holding. Some might say there was witchcraft involved to get a Werewolf to do something so stupid."

"First, I'm not a witch. Second, I have no idea why the Werewolf was so determined to attack us. Third, I'm not a witch. Fourth, I'm pretty sure the suicide was unintentional on the Werewolf's part at least. Fifth, did I mention I am not a witch?"

"Several times."

She put her hands on her hips and met his gaze defiantly. "And, what have you decided, sir? Am I going to be executed for rescuing a girl?"

"No. You will have to explain yourself and your actions to the High King, but I do not think their majesties will have you executed. Come, it is getting late and tomorrow marks the beginning of a three day journey to appear before the kings and queens of Narnia."

He waited for her to respond, but she seemed lost in thought. Perhaps trying to determine how she should react to this new change in her circumstances. Oreius turned to leave, but stopped when she broke her silence. "Do you think me a witch?"

"No, you are probably insane, but I do not think you are a witch. I have met a witch before, and you, Katerina Alambiel, are nothing like her even when she was trying to disguise her evil with a façade of kindness."

"Katerina."

Oreius looked back at her, and she grinned. "Please call me Katerina, I am not used to hearing both of my names. At least, when I'm not in trouble for something. Besides, it is a bit of a mouthful saying both names all the time."

Oreius nodded, "Very well, Katerina. You may call me Oreius."

She inclined her head slightly, then followed as he led her to one of the smaller tents. She ducked inside and one of Sherket's Cheetahs assumed guard position just to the left of the tent flap. He did not think she was a witch, but that didn't mean he was going to allow a stranger to be in camp without an escort. Oreius hoped they could avoid any more encounters with Fell Beasts or any other trouble. One stranger in Narnia was more than enough, especially if she continued to attract trouble.

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The cloaked man cackled in delight as he watched the famed Centaur General allow his pawn into the camp. The fool had no idea how much trouble he just invited into Narnia. Soon, not only would the four brats at Cair Paravel be dead, but the great General Oreius would also either be dead or so dishonored he wished for death's escape.

He scowled as he watched the youngest of the four monarchs call out to the general. It was a pity that Werewolf hadn't been able to at least seriously injure her. Still, there were suspicions growing among the Narnians about his sweet little pawn being someone rather wicked. Oh, this was going to be fun. He turned away from the scene and focused on creating a few more suspicious circumstances, all of which would point to one Katerina Alambiel.

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**A/N: Okay, obviously no reviews yet, but I did get a follower and lots of hits so I'm being a softie and going ahead with posting this chapter tonight instead of making y'all wait. Now, this is my first fanfic and I'm right in the middle of writing it and two immediate sequels, so feedback is very helpful. I have decided that I will continue to post this story, but reviews will inspire me to write faster 'cause then I know y'all are reading and enjoying the story. So, click that little review button below and let me know how am I doing and if you like what you read.**


	6. Chapter Five: To Cair Paravel, Part One

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Five: To Cair Paravel, Part One

31 Sunbend 1001

Being taken on a less than friendly visit to the kings and queens of Narnia was definitely not on Katerina Alambiel's list of things to do if she ever went to Narnia. She hid a grimace as one of the Satyrs glared at her for only the three hundredth time that morning. _I would have to be the only person I know who can save a little girl who turns out to be a queen and still be in trouble with the good guys._ She rubbed her thumb over the two pendants for comfort as she watched the Satyr who apparently really didn't like her approach her horse. "The queen requests that you ride by her side for a little while."

"Of course, thank you...I'm afraid I do not know your name, sir."

The Satyr stiffened like she had given him a grievous insult and, to her bewilderment, he actually glared harder than he had before. "My name is not your concern. I thank you to mind your own matters."

Katerina stared at him in confusion as he stalked away, then she decided it would probably be best to comply with the young queen's request for now and save the puzzle of the Satyr's attitude for a later day. She gently increased the pressure of her knees against the horse's ribs until they were moving at a trot up to the head of the Narnian column. She slowed back down to a walk as she came up to where the queen was riding with General Oreius and the Leopard captain as company. "You wanted to see me, your majesty?"

Lucy's face lit with pleasure as her smile widened further to include the newcomer, "Oh, yes, I did. Katerina Alambiel, I know you've met General Oreius, but have you had the chance to meet Captain Sherket?"

"I'm afraid I've not had the opportunity to be properly introduced before now." Katerina inclined her head, "An honor, Captain Sherket." Sherket nodded back and Katerina missed the look exchanged between captain and general behind her back as she turned to face Queen Lucy. "I wager a guess that you didn't summon me simply to introduce me to the captain, your majesty."

Lucy laughed, "Your guess is right. And, please call me Lucy. Otherwise, I shall keep calling you by both your names." Lucy laughed again and Sherket and Oreius hid smiles of their own at the face Katerina made at Lucy's threat. "I wanted to ask you what you think of Narnia. You've seen more than half of it already and we still have another day of travel ahead. So, what do you think?"

"I think Narnia is probably the most beautiful place I have ever been graced to see or visit. There is a purity and a sense of history here that is all too often missing in my own world save in select places. Everything feels more alive and wild and...I don't know how to describe it with words. It makes me feel welcome like someone who has finally come home after a long journey...for the most part."

Sherket looked up at this stranger, this Katerina Alambiel, and asked, "For the most part? What do you mean?"

Katerina met Sherket's amber gaze steadily as she deadpanned, "For the most part would be excluding the things that tried to eat me when I first got here." She grinned as Lucy giggled while Sherket shook her head in amusement, then continued in a lighter tone. "However, the way I figure it, if something tried to eat me within the first thirty minutes I was here, what are the odds that anything else disastrous could happen this week?"

The woods they had been riding through became utterly silent on the heels of Katerina's last comment and she couldn't help the wry thought. _Katerina Alambiel, when are you going to learn to stop saying things that cause Murphy's Law to take affect?_ She looked at Lucy, "I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry."

Lucy opened her mouth probably to ask why she was apologizing when Katerina jerked her reins from her hands and forced both their horses to leap off the path. A bellow cut through the air as a pair of Minotaurs charged the head of the line while a Werewolf pounced into the spot previously occupied by Queen Lucy. Oreius drew his claymore and met the two Minotaurs' charge head-on while Sherket leapt snarling onto the Werewolf's back. Katerina maintained a death grip on the reins of Lucy's horse as she struggled to keep both horses from rearing or dashing away from the frenzied battle. Her eyes widened as three more Werewolves and a handful of Ghouls appeared in front of them, blocking off any faint hope she had of escaping the battle.

She flinched as one of the Ghouls hurled its spear only inches from her face. "Lucy, grab my arm." Lucy looked every bit the frightened nine-year-old she was as she willingly wrapped her hands around Katerina's arm. She gasped when Katerina let go of her horse's reins and heaved her up behind her as her horse darted away. Katerina scanned the battle for help, but everyone who had accompanied the young queen was caught up in his or her own fight for survival. She felt Lucy tighten her hold around her waist as the horse shied away from another Ghoul's attack. "Hang on."

Katerina forced the horse to leap past a Ghoul and Werewolf, kicking the Ghoul in the head as she passed, and galloped away from the battle. She cut through the trees, which seemed to close in menacingly as clear paths were suddenly blocked by roots and branches. With Lucy clinging to her, Katerina was determined either to find help or to simply lead their attackers on a wild goose chase long enough that they quit following them. A Werewolf jumped out in front of them causing her to grab hold of Lucy's arm in an effort to keep the young girl from falling as the horse reared in fright. Her avoidance plan might be harder to pull off than she had thought.

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Oreius dodged a blow from a Minotaur's mace and kicked a Boggle that tried to hamstring him. He whirled around to cut down another Minotaur before it crushed Sherket. A Ghoul squealed as it leapt at him only to meet its end on the point of his claymore. A Werewolf lunged at him, but Sherket slammed into it before it could touch him. He dodged to the side as Sherket and the Werewolf rolled toward him and twisted around to impale a Minotaur in the back with his claymore, instantly killing it. Then, as suddenly as the attack began, it was over.

Oreius quickly scanned the area, but there was no sign of Queen Lucy or of Katerina Alambiel. "General Oreius!" He turned to see one of Sherket's Cougars limping toward them. "General, at least six Werewolves chased the queen away from the fight. I saw her horse run past me earlier...without a rider. When I looked for the queen, I saw her being carried away from the battle by the stranger. They went north-east toward the Stone Table."

"Sherket, tend to the wounded. I will find them." Oreius didn't even wait for Sherket to acknowledge his orders before he raced into the forest. He had to find both Daughters of Eve, but if Katerina Alambiel had anything to do with this attack, Aslan help her.

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A Satyr screamed as he dropped with Lucy's dagger buried in his chest. Katerina straightened from her crouch, silently thankful that Lucy had handed her the dagger right before they were attacked, and grabbed his sword as she turned to face the five remaining Werewolves. Mindful to keep herself between Lucy and the Werewolves, Katerina cautiously circled around until she could see all five Werewolves and none of them would be able to reach Lucy without going through her first. She heard thunder rumble in the distance and smirked at the ironically appropriate change in weather. _This just keeps getting better and better. Now all we need is the lone ranger to come charging to the rescue._

A sudden shout came from the trees beyond the Werewolves and then the terrifying sight of a very angry Centaur charged into the glade. _That works too. _Katerina breathed a prayer of thanks as Lucy shouted from behind her, "Oreius!"

But, his arrival didn't completely halt the attack on them as the Werewolf who seemed to be leading the group ignored his arrival and launched himself at Katerina Alambiel. She gasped in pain as the Werewolf's claws dug into her arm, but she refused to give him any access to Lucy. She kicked him hard in the leg, and then swung the borrowed sword at his neck. He chuckled in dark amusement as he ducked under her strike and knocked the sword out of her hand. Then, with a violent backswing, he struck her to the ground and turned his attention back to Lucy after a quick glance confirmed the Centaur was still preoccupied with four, well, three of his brothers.

Katerina groaned as she rolled over and tried to get back up. Her face felt like she had been hit with a ton of bricks, an evil furry ton of bricks. Lucy screamed a few feet away from her, causing Katerina to force her eyes open. The Werewolf who had attacked her was now closing in on Lucy who had backed against the stone cropping in the middle of the glade. Oreius was kicking his way free of a Werewolf, but there was still two more between him and Lucy. He would never reach her in time.

Oreius cut down one of the two Werewolves with desperate rage. He was going to fail. Dear Aslan, he wasn't going to be able to save the queen. His head jerked up as a scream of fury filled the air. He barely believed his eyes, but there was no doubt. Katerina Alambiel had launched herself onto the Werewolf's back with enough force that her momentum was toppling the Fell Beast into a roll away from Lucy. The Werewolf in front of him yelped as he drove his sword into its chest. He ignored it as he galloped toward the youngest royal. The fight between Katerina Alambiel and the Werewolf climaxed as she managed to get her feet between their bodies and heaved him up and over her head. Oreius tossed her one of his swords as she rolled back to her feet. She grabbed it right before the Werewolf slammed into her. They both fell to the ground, but the Werewolf was skewered on the sword. As Oreius approached with Lucy a little ways behind him, the Werewolf laughed again as he whispered. "So, this is how it was supposed to end, little mistress?"

Oreius frowned at the Werewolf's last words, wondering if perhaps Katerina Alambiel was not as innocent as he had believed, but then Lucy flung herself around her neck in an exuberant hug. He noticed the brief look of shock that crossed Katerina's face when the queen hugged her and the slight hesitation before she returned the hug. Then, Katerina Alambiel managed to surprise him as she gently moved Lucy back so she could remove his sword from the carcass of the Fell Beast and cleaned it on the grass. For the briefest of moments, Oreius and Katerina locked eyes as she held the now clean blade out to him and he was struck by the haunted look that appeared for a split second in her gaze. Oreius accepted his sword back even as he wondered why Aslan had sent Katerina Alambiel to Narnia and what secrets were in her past.

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**A/N: This was originally one big chapter, but I split iit up so there will be three chapter updates today instead of making you wait forever. Read and review, please, it makes my day and I want to know what y'all think about where this story is going.**


	7. Chapter Six: To Cair Paravel, Part Two

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Special Disclaimer: I don't own Murphy or his law or the story behind his law...I'm pretty sure the Air Force does and if not, it still belongs to somebody other than me.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Six: To Cair Paravel, Part Two

_I wish I understood what was going on here, but then again I don't think I am the only one who is in the dark. Why did the Werewolf speak to me? I know Oreius heard him, though I'm not sure if Lucy was close enough yet. Does the general still believe that I am not a witch? I hope so because I do not think I will live very long if he should decide I am an enemy._

"What are you thinking about, Katerina Alambiel?"

Oreius watched with a mix of amusement and concern as the young woman jerked in surprise before glaring at him. The light from the campfire cast shadows over her, but he could still see the swollen discoloration marring the left side of her face from temple to cheek. Between her face and the scratches to her left forearm, the Werewolf had not been kind to her, but that had not stopped her from pitching in to help with setting up an impromptu camp as well as assisting the healers with the wounded. It had been a race against the threatened rain to find a safe place to camp, and then the weather bypassed them to the south though the damp chill of its passing stayed with them. He looked down at Katerina expectantly as Sherket and Lucy joined them.

"I have come to a conclusion." Katerina paused then nodded to herself. "I have decided that...I really don't like Werewolves."

Lucy giggled and Sherket chuckled while he just shook his head at the young woman when she glanced up at him and grinned. Sherket stepped closer and peered at Katerina through narrowed eyes. "Well, if it is any consolation, I don't think the Werewolves like you very much either."

Katerina smiled at the three of them before she reached up to touch her face. "Ow, I should probably avoid smiling for a while...or at least until this lovely bruise stops being so sensitive."

Queen Lucy patted her on the shoulder in sympathy as she dropped down beside her. Oreius nodded to Sherket and they both joined the other two on the ground, albeit a bit slower on Oreius' part. When the general and captain had finally settled down, Lucy turned to Katerina Alambiel with a puzzled look. "Katerina, why did you apologize earlier? You know, right before we were attacked you said you shouldn't have said what you did and apologized."

Oreius carefully hid his own intense interest but he knew that Sherket was just eager as he was to hear their guest's explanation. "What? Oh, that. I was apologizing because I managed to invoke Murphy's Law with my comment about nothing else disastrous happening on this trip."

Oreius exchanged a confused look with Sherket, "Murphy's Law? What is this law and who is Murphy?"

A grin ghosted across Katerina's face. "In its basic form, Murphy's Law is simply "If anything can go wrong, it will." Although I was actually thinking of one of the more specific examples, "Never say things can't get any worse, because they can and they will." Murphy was a military captain serving as an engineer on a very important project who found a mistake one day, cursed the technician responsible, and said, "If there's any way to do it wrong, he'll find it." The manager of the project apparently thought this was brilliant so he wrote it down and dubbed it 'Murphy's Law'. So, I inadvertently invoked Murphy's Law of "Never say things can't get any worse, because they can and they will, if only to prove you wrong." For that I do apologize...but everything else was the Werewolves' fault."

Oreius didn't completely understand the concept of this Murphy's Law, but he guessed it was similar to the idea that anything that goes wrong in battle was always the commanding officer's fault. He grinned at Katerina Alambiel's emphatic declaration that everything after she invoked the law was the Werewolves' fault not hers. Watching the young queen's eyes dance with laughter, he conceded that she was good for the youngest royal. She kept Lucy from dwelling overmuch on the battle with her self-depreciating humor. His grin disappeared however when Alaois approached with an irritated Alithia right behind him.

Alithia gave him an apologetic look before she smoothly cut off the rant Alaois' glare promised as she turned her attention to Lucy. "My queen, I think it is past time for you to take your rest. After all, we still have to travel another day and a half to reach Cair Paravel." Oreius knew the young queen was tired when she didn't even protest as she climbed to her feet and walked back to her tent under Alithia's watchful gaze. He was glad though that she had left because no child, queen or not, needed to hear the accusations he suspected Alaois was about hurl at Katerina Alambiel, not to mention Sherket and himself.

Unfortunately, Alaois didn't disappoint as he glared at the three of them. "So, this is what Narnia comes to already? Fraternizing with a witch when we only won our freedom from the last one a year ago? What doubts you had concerning her guilt in the first convenient meeting with one of our royals should have been utterly erased by today's events, General. She happens to predict the attack on our party and you allow her to not only walk around free of restraints but you also let her continue to associate with Queen Lucy? She is a witch and should be treated as an enemy not a...a boon companion. She is not to be trusted. The queen has the excuse of being a child, but the two of you should be on your guard against this sorceress. As far as we know, she could be the one who signaled the attack to begin and end when she knew we had enough injured to keep us from immediately following her. And then, she conveniently loses control over a horse she had no difficulty controlling when fleeing the presence of our soldiers. She set this whole thing up, and if you were wise, you would have her bound in chains not sitting around the campfire spouting nonsense about some elaborate excuse where everything is not her fault but another's."

Oreius kept his face free of emotion, but Sherket's tail started to twitch with her irritation at Alaois' condescending attitude toward a fellow officer and his commander not to mention how badly he was breaking the rules of common courtesy toward a guest. Oreius intended to intercede when Alaois finally paused for a breath, but another voice beat him to it. "With as much disdain as you seem to have for me, I admit I'm impressed you think me capable of creating such an elaborate plot to work my way into the good graces of the queen, the general, and the captain. However, I do have some questions of my own. Is it common practice in Narnia to accuse someone without proof? Or to accuse a person before others without addressing that person first or revealing the identity of their accuser? Because I would very much like the chance to answer in my own defense, however it would greatly help if I knew the name of the one who insists on stirring up accusations and suspicions concerning myself and those who have chosen to give me the benefit of the doubt."

Oreius was impressed at the surprisingly calm and even tone Katerina Alambiel used to address the Satyr captain, even more so when he looked closer and saw the fury sparking in her eyes. He turned to Alaois and leveled a hard gaze at him. "Answer her."

For a moment, he thought the Satyr would refuse out of spite, but then he choked out a reply. "I am Captain Alaois."

Katerina nodded and met the Satyr's glare with a deceptively calm look of her own. "Very well, Captain Alaois. I assume you know my name already, but I'll take the liberty of reminding you. I am Katerina Alambiel and I assure you that I am not a witch."

Alaois sneered, "So you say, but your actions do not support your claims of innocence. I do not believe your lies, witch."

"I'm sorry you feel that way, however, I was under the impression that I was not on trial here. I may not be a declared 'boon companion', but I didn't think it had been decided yet as to whether Narnia would accept my presence or not. I also had the impression that it was to be the kings and queens of Narnia who would decide my fate, not a single army captain who has been blinded by his prejudices. My words probably fall on deaf ears, but I give you my solemn word Captain Alaois that I, Katerina Alambiel, have no intention of bringing harm to Narnia, her people, or her kings and queens." Katerina sighed and rubbed her forehead, "Forgive me my abruptness, Captains and General, but I simply do not have any energy left this night. I bid you all a good night."

Oreius watched the shocked expression on Alaois' face change to anger and astonishment as the young woman he accused of being a witch politely inclined her head to all three officers before leaving for the tent assigned to her with another of Sherket's Cheetahs following behind to keep watch over her tonight. But, he had had enough of the Satyr's surly temper and cut him off before he could start another rant. "You nearly stepped over your bounds tonight, Alaois. I already told you that the High King and his siblings would be the ones to judge the actions and words of Katerina Alambiel and determine her fate. Yet, you insisted on trying to provoke her by accusing her without facing her properly. Furthermore, you implied that neither Sherket nor I were capable leaders due to our actions toward Katerina Alambiel. I will warn you this once, Captain Alaois. Do not undermine my authority or the authority of our kings and queens. If you attempt to do so again, there will be severe consequences starting with the removal of your rank. Do you understand me, Captain?"

"Yes, General Oreius."

"Good, I suggest you get some rest and recover your strength before we set out again in the morning."

Alaois grudgingly inclined his head and trotted back to the camp center. Sherket shook her head, "I don't think he will disobey you on this trip again, General Oreius. However, if the kings and queens decide to allow her to stay, there may be further altercations. I think I'll go check on the scouts. Good night, General."

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The sorcerer cursed then laughed as he watched the events of the day. The raid didn't have quite the impact he wanted since there were only injuries and no deaths. But, the rest of it was going to be perfect, especially since everything else was going exactly to plan. Doubts were already planted in the minds of some of the Narnians concerning not only his new toy but also the Centaur general. They would reach the purported safety of the palace of Cair Paravel in a day and a half as they moved at a slower pace for their wounded, and he would let them arrive unscathed after today's little game. It would allow him the time he needed to finish setting up his trap for the children playing at being kings and queens.

He cackled in mad delight as he thought about how horrified the Narnians would be when they glimpsed his handiwork tomorrow. Oh, they must believe it connected to his pawn, his Katerina Alambiel, at first. But, when the time came to reveal the true mastermind behind the wave of misery about to befall Narnia...ah, they will cower before him. Perhaps not the Centaurs, Jadis could barely control them even after turning nearly all their leaders to stone, at least those she had not killed outright. But, then again their resistance just meant he had another reason to wipe them from existence. He simply had to wait a little bit longer, and then all that he desired would be his at last.

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**A/N: As promised, Part Two. Please Read and Review! What do you think of my interpretation of the characters? Does it make sense? Do you like it? Hate it? Click the review button below and let me know!**


	8. Chapter Seven: To Cair Paravel, Part 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Seven: To Cair Paravel, Part Three

"_Come here, little one." The older man looked at her and smiled. She hesitated, asking herself one question: did she know him? He looked familiar. He called to her again, "Come on, my dear, I'm not going to hurt you."_

_She took a step back. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. Wait, she recognized his face, it's him! He's back. The man must have realized she remembered him. His smile is gone now, in its place the terrifying sight of horns and fangs. No! He's the monster! He's the monster! She opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out, she was too afraid. He leaned in close and whispered in her ear, "It's all right, princess, I shall simply wait until you are a little older. And, until then I have another friend who wants to come play with me."_

_He pointed over his shoulder. She looked and froze as the familiar face of her best friend, the closest thing she had to a sister, walked up to the monster. He took her friend's hand and pulled her away from her although her friend looked back once and smiled even as tears started streaming down her face. She started running after them. She had to save her friend from the monster. She reached out to touch her friend's sleeve, but it wasn't her friend anymore, it was another little girl. Lucy. Why was Lucy here? She never met the monster. She was safe from him. But, his mocking laughter filled her mind as she tried to pull Lucy away without success and as she tried to scream for help but never made a sound. No one was safe from the monster, no one._

Katerina woke with a gasp and instinctively jerked away from the figure looming over her, resulting in her tumbling out of the hammock and landing on her bruised side. "Ow."

She blinked a few times, trying to get the figure standing on the other side of the hammock to come into focus. She was finally able to make out a familiar-looking Centauress who was looking down at her with no small amount of concern. "Alithia?"

"Yes, are you all right?"

Katerina sat up and nodded, "Yes, but I really need to stop landing on my injuries when I'm trying to avoid adding more bruises."

She could barely make out the quick flash of Alithia's smile as the Centauress helped her back to her feet. "I apologize for startling you, Katerina Alambiel, but it looked as if you were caught in the middle of a very bad nightmare." Alithia paused then searched her face for something before she spoke again, "I came to wake you because General Oreius wishes to break camp as soon as possible and that means everyone needs to up and ready to leave in the next half hour. And, Katerina, if you ever wish to speak with someone about what haunts your dreams, please do not hesitate to seek me out."

Katerina nodded and thanked Alithia, then she hurried to clean herself up as best she could. Splashing some water on her face and hands, she wondered why none of the Narnians had commented about the strangeness of her garb yet. But, then maybe Queen Lucy told them not to mention it. She was glad though that she had been wearing nice yet practical clothes the day she went to the courthouse. Her black jeans and soft-soled leather boots were holding up nicely all things considered. And, other than a minor tear along the left sleeve, her thigh-length dark blue cotton tunic was also holding up well. She quietly thanked God that she had decided to dress for the air-conditioned courthouse instead of the blistering heat outside, otherwise she would probably be freezing right now because it appeared that Narnia was in the arms of Autumn. She could still feel the bite of the early morning frost when she stepped out of her tent though.

Katerina glanced around but didn't see Oreius, Alithia, or even Lucy anywhere nearby. She rubbed her arms as the wind reminded her that she needed to get moving or she would never warm up. She really didn't want to be the only one who was shivering all morning. She walked toward the center of the camp and found Sherket who was only too happy to put her to work collapsing the tents.

Katerina was cheerful as she collapsed one of the last tents after only ten minutes of working alongside a group of Centaurs and Satyrs. She had unintentionally started a completion when she wondered aloud about whether Centaurs or Satyrs could take down more tents. The result was she was teamed with the three Satyrs and worked from one side of the camp toward the middle where they would meet the two Centaurs who worked their way in from the other side of the camp. Apparently, when your reach was as high and as long as the average Centaur's, four against two was completely fair. She stepped back and admired both teams' handiwork. "I think it's too close to call a definite winner. What do you say we call it a tie and have done with it?"

Her five companions laughed and agreed, though she heard a little bit of good-natured grumbling as they wandered off. She grinned again then turned her attention to packing up the spare supplies that had been in one of the tents. So far, it seemed that most of the Narnians in the group were willing to give her a chance at least before they decided to sentence her to some horrible fate. Maybe Captain Alaois would start to warm up to her as well. _And, maybe I'll never see another Werewolf while I'm here in Narnia. Although, Alaois would probably bend over backwards to direct me toward the nearest Werewolf pack. Okay, that wasn't very nice of me, but I still think he's going to be a great big pain in the neck before we make any steps forward in our...relationship...which is not the right word. He reminds me of Dennis, which is unfortunate considering how my last encounter with Dennis ended with him sprawled on the ground after he tried to attack me. And if relationship isn't the right word, what would be? Hmm, association, no, connection, no, oh, acquaintanceship maybe. At least, acquaintanceship sounds better than bitter enemies to the end of time. And now, I'm just being cynical. _

She jumped as a heavy hand clamped down on her shoulder and spun around to see Oreius watching her with an amused expression. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, sorry about that, I guess I was a little too deep in thought and didn't see you approach. So, um, what can I do to help this morning?"

Katerina tried not to grin at the skeptical look Oreius gave her, especially since her face still hurt. "Let's see, it looks like you managed to pull down all the tents and you put away all the spare supplies. I think there is only thing you have failed to do this morning: Eat."

"Pardon?"

Oreius nodded at where Lucy was waiting beside the horses with Sherket and Alithia, "We are ready to go, but you need to eat something. Go on, I believe the queen made certain to save you some breakfast." Katerina rolled her eyes and turned to go, only to stop when Oreius spoke up again. "Ah, there is one more thing." Before she could look at him, she felt something soft, heavy, and decidedly warmer get draped around her shoulders. She stared at the dark red cloak in surprise and threw Oreius a questioning look even as she pulled it in closer. He shrugged, "You have been shivering since you came out of your tent. I figured this would help. Hurry up and join the queen because we are leaving now and I won't stop if you fall behind." Katerina fought down a grin as she ran over to Lucy. Pulling herself up onto the horse, she happily munched on a couple of biscuits as she fell into line beside the queen. She suspected the cloak had the dual purpose of making her more visible and keeping her from getting too cold, but she didn't mind after all it was hardly the first time she had been under guard. _I couldn't care less if they want to make it easier on themselves to keep an eye on me, I'm not freezing anymore and I think I'm closer to making some friends or at least allies. Now, I just need the Kings and one of the two Queens to choose to trust a stranger. And, God, if You could arrange for there to not be any Werewolves today or tomorrow, I would be most grateful._

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**A/N: Please read and review! I hope y'all are picking on the clues about Katerina's life before Narnia...like the dream, that's going to be important. Click the little review button below and tell me what y'all think. Next chapter features Cair Paravel and a meeting with the rest of the Pevensies.**


	9. Chapter Eight: Facing the Kings & Queens

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Eight: Facing the Kings and Queens

Cair Paravel

1 Twirleaf 1001

Katerina Alambiel paced back and forth along the entire length of the parlor of the guest rooms she had been shown to the night before. She was too wound up to wait quietly for a guard to appear to escort her to meet with the Kings and Queens of Narnia. They had finally arrived at Cair Paravel late yesterday evening, it had been almost dark but she had still been able to make out a beautiful and magnificent palace. Her expression must have revealed how awe-struck she had felt at the sight because Lucy giggled and said, "Just wait until you see the inside."

The lateness of the hour of their arrival had prevented Lucy from giving her the grand tour, but the young queen happily showed Katerina to the guest rooms before rushing off to find her family. Katerina looked at the elegant yet unpretentious furnishings of the guest rooms and shook her head in silent amazement. If this was what a single guest suite looked like, the rest of Cair Paravel must be awe-inspiring indeed. Everything was so different here, yet it was a comforting difference from the world she had known. She silently prayed that she would be allowed to stay here in Narnia.

A knock at the door pulled Katerina's attention back to the situation at hand. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and walked out the doors to meet with the Kings and Queens. Unsurprisingly, she did not recognize the Satyr acting as her escort. More and more Narnians were stopping to stare at them, well mostly her, as she followed the Satyr down several long halls and up a flight of stairs before he stopped in front of a door flanked by a Tiger and a Centaur. The Centaur opened the door and she stepped into an oval-shaped room that was framed by columns. In between those columns stood or sat a number of people, she recognized Alithia, Sherket, and Oreius but there were also two Beavers, a Fox, two Fauns, and directly in front of her were the Kings and Queens of Narnia.

The elder of the two Kings looked at her with frank appraisal as he broke the silence that had descended on the group when she walked through the door. "Our good Cousins and our youngest Sister have informed us that we have you to thank for the safe return of our dear Sister. Is this true?"

"I helped to keep Queen Lucy safe, yes, but I would not say I was the only one responsible for her safe return. The Narnians clearly love her and did everything in their power to keep her safe, I just happened to lend a hand this time."

The elder King nodded and Katerina saw a flash of approval in his eyes at her answer, but then the elder Queen spoke. "While we are grateful for your actions in assuring us of our Sister's safe return, how is it you were able to be the only one nearby?"

Katerina hesitated as she tried to think of a way to answer that question without offending anyone or sounding boastful. "I believe the first time was a mix of providence and luck. I didn't know Queen Lucy would be in the next clearing, and I cannot claim to know how or why she was there alone. However, I can tell you that the second time was mainly due to my actions. I pulled the Queen from her horse when I saw the Werewolves trying to separate us from each other and the rest of the group. I was struggling to keep my horse from throwing us both, so I allowed him to run into the woods. Unfortunately, this seemed to be part of the plan as there were several more creatures waiting for us when the Werewolves chased us into the clearing. To be perfectly honest, we were both very fortunate that General Oreius found us in time."

The elder Queen nodded, "And yet you were still the one who kept our Sister from being killed by the Werewolf."

Katerina shrugged. "I was just the one who happened to be closer to her at the time. Although, it helped that the Werewolf had ceased to pay much attention to me after he knocked me off my feet."

She didn't miss the slight glance the elder Queen gave her brothers, but then the younger of the two Kings spoke up. "So, tell us are you a witch?"

Katerina Alambiel stared at them in disbelief, "Please tell me, you're not serious. No, I am not a witch. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to be of use to your sister. I don't understand this fixation y'all have with witches. Why does everyone think I'm a witch?"

The royals suddenly grinned at her and dropped the decidedly formal tone they had been using as the younger King answered her. "Well, you have to admit that getting into fights with Werewolves and winning when you don't have a sword or any other real weapon is hardly normal occurrence even here in Narnia. Besides, I believe we are having some difficulty accepting an outsider who doesn't mean any harm to Narnia or our family. But, you did save Lucy and General Oreius, Captain Sherket, and Healer Alithia have all vouched for you. Don't turn out to be a traitor and I think we'll get along just fine."

The elder King, whom she decided had to be the High King, shook his head at his brother then turned back to her. "What my brother is trying to say is we have decided to allow you to remain in Narnia as our guest for the time being. However, there are some restrictions you need to agree to before we're finished here. First, you must swear by the Lion that you will not raise a hand against the innocents nor any Narnian who has not attacked or attempted to harm you. You may protect yourself and others, nothing more. Second, you must be accompanied by at least one guard every time you leave your personal chambers. Third, while you may accompany Queen Lucy at her behest, you will still have two guards with you. Fourth, the General has requested your presence among his troops, so you will attend any and all training sessions he may require of you. Failure to show up at these training sessions is not something I recommend from personal experience. Finally, I want to remind you that you are not only a guest of Narnia, but you are also the personal guest of myself and my family. Please do not hesitate to ask us or anyone else for help or any questions you might have. We are truly indebted to you for saving Lucy's life, but for now, caution dictates we place restrictions on your current stay."

Katerina nodded and inclined her head to the four young monarchs. "I give you my solemn word that I, Katerina Alambiel, will adhere to the restrictions you have cited. I also want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to prove myself worthy of being a friend of Narnia. I pray I will not disappoint your trust or that of the three who have stood on my behalf though I am a stranger."

The High King nodded and dismissed the council, but Katerina didn't even have a chance to do more than nod to Alithia when Lucy ran up to her. Looking down at the smiling nine-year-old, Katerina automatically dismissed her vague hope of retreating to the quiet of her new rooms. Lucy grabbed her hand and promptly began dragging her out the door as everyone else watched in amusement. "Come on, Kat! We have so much to see, but first we need to get you something to wear."

Everyone including Oreius smirked at Katerina's less than enthusiastic response, "What's wrong with what I've got on?"

"You can't have just one outfit, and you're going to live with us in Narnia so you need some Narnian clothes."

Alithia and Sherket quietly followed in the wake of the energetic whirlwind that was the youngest royal, while everyone else struggled to hide their laughter when Katerina asked in a slightly horrified tone. "You're going to put me in dresses, aren't you?" Lucy gave a quick nod as she happily bounced in front of the older woman, apparently unaware of the way Katerina Alambiel twisted around to look back at the others and mouthed "Help me" right before Lucy dragged her around the corner and out of sight.

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**A/N: Because I felt kind of bad that the last chapter was so short, I figured I should go ahead and post this one tonight. This one has a lighter tone, especially at the end, but don't worry next chapter we get to the details of what the evil sorcerer has spent his time doing (and it wasn't knitting I can tell you that) and Katerina is going to find herself in for another round of suspicion towards her. Please read and then click the little button below to leave a review and tell me if you like where things are headed or where YOU think this story is headed. Also, do you think I kept the Pevensies true to character? **


	10. Chapter Nine: PracticeReflection&Meeting

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Nine: Practice, Reflection, and a Meeting

Cair Paravel

9 Twirleaf 1001

Katerina Alambiel lay still as she stared up at the Centaur holding his sword barely an inch from her throat. His eyes were hard and she stayed on the ground unmoving even as he finally leaned down and tapped her collarbone. "Kill."

She sat up gingerly and glared at the Centaur, "Was it really necessary to _throw_ me across the courtyard?"

"Did it get your attention? Then, yes it was necessary. Remember, Katerina Alambiel, one cannot lose focus in a battle because to lose focus is to lose your life, even in training."

"But, Oreius, I don't think the teacher should enjoy tossing his students across the training yard as much as you did."

Oreius smirked, "Well, next time you won't lose focus when you are supposed to be fighting for your life. Get a drink, then we'll try a new attack."

Katerina resisted the urge to groan as she staggered to her feet, no matter what anyone said she now knew for a fact that getting tossed across a courtyard by a charging Centaur hurt like all get out. She congratulated herself on not limping as she walked over to where Peter and Edmund were standing by the drinks. Peter shook his head in sympathy as he handed her a goblet of cool water. "I warned you not to be late to Oreius' training sessions."

She rolled her eyes, "So you did, now hush." Edmund laughed until Peter cuffed him on the back of his head. Katerina pretended not to notice the boys' antics as she took a drink then continued. "However, neither of you warned me that he was going to turn me into the flying wonder."

Peter grinned, "Well normally he reserves that particular type of punishment for the two of us. Of course, it has been awhile since we gave the good General a reason to punish us, so maybe he was a little rougher on you than I had thought. Still, look on the bright side, after today you have even more incentive to be on time and the punishments will taper off...eventually."

"Terrific."

The brothers chuckled at her less than thrilled response, then Edmund gave her an appraising look. "You've been on time for training all this last week, why were you late today?"

Katerina hesitated as she sought an answer that would satisfy without giving everything away. She really wished they had not asked her about the reason behind her lateness. "I slept later than I meant to this morning. The last week must have caught up to me finally." She could see both brothers processing her admittedly vague and somewhat flimsy excuse, but thankfully, Oreius called them all back to practice before either one could press her further.

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Katerina wearily trudged into her bedroom after spending all morning training with Oreius and the Kings. It seemed Oreius had not been satisfied to punish her tardiness with only a toss across the courtyard. No, he made her practice all of the moves he had already taught her and then he added three more attacks and four defensive moves. Sherket had stopped by the armory while she dutifully cleaned her sword and armor, and the Leopard captain had winced when she saw her. Even the Cougar, who still hadn't told her his name, had given her a sympathetic look when she passed him as she entered her rooms. She didn't dare sit down or she would never be able to get back up today, and she still needed to meet Queen Lucy and her friend Mr. Tumnus for tea this afternoon. She ran a bath and promised herself that she would _never_ be late for one of Oreius' training sessions again.

After her bath, Katerina allowed her mind to wander a bit as she gingerly sat down to brush out her hair. Unsurprisingly, her thoughts quickly fixated on the four Kings and Queens of Narnia. Lucy, the youngest at nine was definitely the baby of the family and well protected. She was like a soft cuddly rabbit always full of energy, laughter, light, and carefree. Her light brown hair and blue eyes held the promise of a beautiful woman who lived within the merry young girl, who accepted all as her friends and knew no enemies. Her absolute faith and trust in the people around her made even more charming and appealing to know.

Edmund, the youngest King and second youngest at the age of ten, soon to be eleven, was more of a puzzle than Lucy. He both protected and was protected. His strength lay in cunning and wit much like a fox, and he used trickery and sarcasm as weapons in their own right. Unlike Lucy, he had black hair but it was the knowledge in his dark eyes that fascinated Katerina who easily recognized the marks of a soul who had been touched by darkness and now understood it better than most. Too much knowledge of the evil that dwells in the world was held in the eyes of a ten-year-old who should have been almost as untouched as his younger sister. Nevertheless, that knowledge seemed to lend the young king an air of understanding of the many circumstances that can surround people's bad choices, and she suspected he had a better understanding of justice than many adults did.

Susan, the eldest Queen and second oldest at thirteen, was the mother of the group who protected her siblings and was protected in return. She was like a doe who was gentle and loving and nurturing until someone threatened her family, then she was a fierce protector and archer much like Artemis of the Greek myths. Her dark brown hair, blue eyes, and height of five feet five inches were merely a preview of the great beauty she would become in adulthood. She, like Lucy, was also one of those girls who were made even more beautiful by the fact that their beauty shines from the inside out. She was not as quick to trust as Lucy was and her eyes occasionally showed her private worries and fears, but so far her gentleness and kindness toward those who had helped to protect her family had won out at least were Katerina Alambiel was concerned.

Peter, High King of Narnia and the eldest of his family at a freshly minted fourteen, was the ultimate protector of his family and of Narnia though his siblings and most, if not all, of his subjects would gladly protect him in turn. He was like a lion, fierce and majestic, a true king who valued his family and his people. His blond hair and blue eyes set him slightly apart from his siblings' darker coloring but the love and caring he showed them more than proved they were a true family. He carried the weight of being High King, and although he was cautious, his sense of honor and fairness permitted him to give others, like herself for example, the chance to prove themselves worthy of trust.

Katerina sighed as she went to work securing her hair into a messy bun. Only time would tell if the Kings and Queens of Narnia would allow her to stay here permanently. She hoped they would, but last night's events could endanger that desire. Maybe she should have been a little more straightforward with Peter and Edmund when they asked why she was late that morning. But, she just was not sure if she could completely trust them to understand and not judge her, especially since she didn't want to burden the young monarchs with additional unpleasantness. She frowned and shook her head, she didn't have any more time to fret over the past. She needed to meet Lucy and there was no way she was going to let her own concerns dampen the young queen's cheerfulness. And, the good news was she was positive Oreius was in a meeting that afternoon so she didn't have to worry about any surprise drills...she hoped.

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"Sefu, tell us what news you bring."

Oreius turned his attention to the large Leopard standing in the middle of the council room. He had just returned from his mission to determine the truth behind some troubling rumors that reached Cair Paravel on the same day that Queen Lucy and her retinue departed for the Lantern Waste. Those same rumors were the reason Oreius and Sherket had joined the young queen with several more soldiers than she had originally planned to accompany her. They had seen no evidence for themselves of the rumor's validity, but Oreius still felt the Kings and Queen had made a wise decision by sending Sefu for a closer look as a precaution.

Sefu's raspy voice was filled with sorrow and a hint of horror as he finally broke his silence. "I fear I must bring disturbing news to your ears, my Kings and Queen. The rumors were not exaggerated as we had hoped, in fact they barely touch the surface of what has been happening these past two weeks. There have been several incidences of young ones disappearing, especially among families living near the Lantern Waste. But, in the last nine days the occurrences of vanished young ones has moved deeper into Narnia. The day before your majesties' sister returned to Cair Paravel we found several...several remains not far from where your company was seen making camp, General. It was difficult to determine, but we believe the remains were those of two Fox kits who had disappeared the night before. There are reports of other bodies being found, and all of them were identified as young ones who had disappeared. The trail is leading to Cair Paravel, but I found no scent at the areas where the remains were discovered besides that of death. I am sorry that I could not bring you better news."

Queen Susan looked so pale that Oreius wondered if she was going to pass out, but then the young queen spoke with a kind certainty that belied the slight faintness of her voice. "It was not your fault, Cousin Sefu. At least you have brought us the information we needed to determine how best to react to the situation."

Sefu bowed his head. "Your words are kind, Queen Susan, and I thank you for them. However, I regret to say I have not yet told you the worst of my discoveries. When the young ones' bodies were examined we were able to determine two things. First, they were all tortured and it is suspected that they were forced to remain conscious throughout the ordeal. Second, the disappearance, torture, and murder of each young one have been linked to one another and it is believed that this was part of a dark magic ritual sacrifice. It is my belief that a witch has come to Narnia, your majesties, and she is receiving aid in accomplishing her dark deeds."

Oreius shared a troubled glance with Alithia and Sherket, if the timing was correct, there was a distinct possibility that they had essentially welcomed a witch with open arms. He turned his attention to the royals who shared the same troubled looks between each other. He also suspected they were more than a little thankful that it had been decided to spare Queen Lucy from the information revealed in this meeting. She did not need to know the details of such cruelty and evil, not at her tender age and innocence. High King Peter looked at him and then he asked Sefu the one question everyone was dreading. "Was there a disappearance or murder last night?"

"Two, my King."

It was young King Edmund who put together the pieces of the puzzle and voiced the logical conclusion that three of the council, including Oreius himself, feared hearing. "Our guest arrives in Narnia about the same time these disappearances and murders start, then both the disappearances and the murders move east deeper into Narnia as she travels with Lucy to Cair Paravel. Last night there were two disappearances and murders, correct? And, this morning...this morning Katerina Alambiel was late to training and when we asked her about it..."

Peter quietly finished for his brother, "She gave an answer that was not completely true. She said she hadn't slept well and the last week's events were probably catching up with her, but I couldn't help feeling she was hiding something from us. Perhaps, we need to keep a much closer eye on her than I first thought. Sherket, your company has been taking the night watches for our guest. Have they mentioned anything unusual occurring during the night, or last night in particular?"

Sherket shook her head, "The only thing that has been mentioned is that the guards can hear Katerina Alambiel moving around the rooms after midnight for about an hour or so. Sometimes she lights all the candles or stirs the fires back to life, and other times they can hear her whispering to herself in a different language but she is never loud enough for them to make out what she is saying exactly. Ptah had last night's watch and he did mention that she was pacing from midnight to the fourth hour. He thought her movements sounded agitated, but when he was about to check on her, she blew out the candles and apparently retreated to her bed. She didn't move again until she burst out of her rooms this morning and ran all the way to the training grounds."

Peter nodded, but it was Edmund who spoke first. "The fact that she apparently suffers from insomnia does not convict her of having anything to do with the disappearances or the murders. So far, she has adhered to the restrictions we placed on her without fail and without complaint. And there's also no proof that she is sneaking out of Cair Paravel, committing these crimes, and then sneaking back into Cair Paravel all without getting caught by any of our patrols. Unless, she has somehow found a way to magically transport herself from place to place while also being in two places at once, then we have no evidence that she is responsible for any of these crimes."

Queen Susan looked up from studying her clenched hands at Edmund's emphatic declaration, "You're right, Edmund. However, I, for one, would feel more comfortable about our guest's apparently unfortunate luck in her movements coinciding with these horrid crimes if she told someone why she is keeping such odd hours."

Oreius broke his silence, "I agree and, with your majesties' permission, I would like to be the one to question Katerina Alambiel on this matter." He waited patiently, but he truly hoped the Kings and Queen would grant him this request. He had been the first to vouch for Katerina Alambiel's continued presence in Narnia and in Cair Paravel, so if he had misjudged her character as terribly as was now feared, he would much rather find out the truth firsthand. To his relief, the royals readily agreed to allow him to complete this potentially unpleasant task and tonight he would learn the truth one way or another.

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**A/N: So, here's the next chapter and I did say it was going to get darker...I'm going to go ahead and warn y'all that the next chapter will be very dark and cover some pretty scary material. Oh, in case anyone was wondering, the animals Katerina compares the Pevensies to came from the list of Power Animals in the Writer's Complete Fantasy Reference book, which is very useful for picking animals whose attributes best match a person's character. Please read and review! Your reviews help me to bribe my muse! Click the little review button below and let me know what y'all thought about this chapter and the story in general.**


	11. Chapter Ten: Midnight Talks

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Ten: Midnight Talks

"_Are you afraid of the dark, little princess? Take my hand and I'll make everything go away, how does that sound?" She whimpered in fear as the monster stepped closer to where she was hiding in the small corner behind the dresser. He was coming for her again. She didn't want to go. She didn't want to see it again. The monster didn't make the hurt go away, he was the cause of it. He loved the dark because it helped him to sneak up on her and the others. Wait, where is he? She couldn't see him anywhere. Did she dare to peek over the dresser? She whimpered then she tried to scream as the monster suddenly pulled the dresser away and jerked her out of the corner. No! Not again, please not again. The monster leered at her and knelt on her belly. He was heavy. His knee was digging into her belly and it hurt. She couldn't breathe. Get off! He forced her hand out to her side and pulled that cruelly beautiful dagger with a blade the shape of a star out of his pocket. He laughed and she squeezed her eyes shut just as the dagger came down on her hand._

Katerina jerked upright, gasping for air, and she automatically checked her hands for the wounds that still burned fresh in her memories. But, there was nothing other than the matching star-shaped scars at the center of both her palms and the back of her hands. She wearily ran her hands through her hair as she tried to regain control of her breathing. _I hate these dreams._

She looked around the bedroom and what had been comforting in the light of day was now far too eerie in the dark. There was too much darkness. Katerina silently tossed the covers back and padded to the windows. Her grip on the heavy velvet drapes tightened into fists before she took a calming breath and yanked the drapes open to reveal the night sky. Only a half moon was shining, but it helped to lighten the oppressive darkness of her room a little bit anyway.

Katerina found a match and hurried to light as many candles as she could before it burned out. She looked around the bedroom again and sighed as she realized it simply was not open enough after the terror of her dream. She picked up one of the candles and eased the door to the parlor open, taking care not to make too much noise so as not to disturb the guards outside her chambers. She padded silently on her bare feet to the larger candle stand just beside the fireplace, and carefully started to light each of the six candles. When she finished lighting those candles, she set her candle down and walked over to the drapes covering the parlor windows. But, as she reached for the drapes she heard a voice speak up from behind her. "Why are you doing this?"

She jumped and whirled around to face the person in her chambers. She vaguely realized that the voice sounded familiar, but the leftover fear from her dream and from this unexpected intrusion prevented her from recognizing the voice as she frantically scanned the parlor for its source. She barely kept herself from screaming when she saw the huge shadow looming in one of the unlit corners of the parlor. She bit her lip instead as the shadow detached itself from the darkness and morphed into a very familiar Centaur. "Or-Oreius?"

_She looks like a frightened child. _Oreius shook the thought away as he stepped further into the circle of light cast by the candles. It mattered not what she appeared to be, all that mattered to him was the truth. It was the reason why he had been waiting in this parlor for over an hour. "You have not answered my question, Katerina Alambiel. So, I ask you again. Why are you doing this?"

Her eyes widened slightly with fear before it was hidden from sight by what he suspected was sheer will. She looked at the candles, then the drapes, before finally looking back at him. "I don't understand the question. What are you asking me exactly?"

He didn't like how she kept looking at the drapes as if it was a life or death matter for them to be open. He scowled and crossed the parlor. She didn't retreat like he had half-expected her to at his approach. He had to give Katerina credit for showing a backbone when most would not. He carefully walked around her until he was now between her and the drapes. She still did not retreat. Instead, she merely circled around to keep facing him. "I am asking you why do you light all these candles and open the drapes at an hour when most of Cair Paravel is sleeping? Are you signaling someone? Perhaps, it is whoever is responsible for the disappearances and murders that are following in your wake. What say you?"

Katerina stared at him with the same bewilderment she had shown when he questioned her about being a witch, but now he was not so sure he could trust her body language for cues to her sincerity. She pulled her night robe closer and crossed her arms. "I don't know what you are talking about. I was just having difficulty sleeping and I prefer light and the fresh breeze of open windows when I can't sleep. It helps me to relax. Who in the world would I be signaling? I don't know anybody here outside of Cair Paravel. What disappearances and murders? I don't know anything about those either. And, I have a question for you. Why are you in here at this hour?"

Oreius scowled down at Katerina as she stared up at him defiantly. "I am here because the council knows about your late night habits. You are not yet condemned, but your actions do not help your claim of innocence. And, neither does your refusal to tell the truth."

"I'm telling the truth."

"Are you? All of it or just whatever pieces you think will get you into the least amount of trouble?"

Katerina glared at him and huffed. "Fine, you want the whole truth, Oreius, then you shall have it." She abruptly held her hands out to him, "Look. Look and see what was left behind by that which haunts my sleep. I do not sleep some nights because every time I close my eyes I am forced to relive the events that led to these scars. It was always dark and the monster hid in the dark when he hunted me, so when I wake from these nightmare memories I can scarcely breathe from the suffocating feel of darkness. I go around lighting candles and pulling back drapes because I _need_ to know that the light can still shine in the darkness. I need to know that I am no longer in the hands of the monster. It reassures me, for the most part, when I see the darkness driven back by the light of candles or the moon. It reminds me that I did survive and I am still alive, still free."

Oreius stood stock-still as he looked first at the odd scars in the shape of a star on her hands then at Katerina's face. Her words had a ring of truth that he could not deny. But, her explanation still left him with questions and he needed at least two of them answered before he could take a report back to the royals and before he would be satisfied himself. "Finally, you speak a clear truth, though I know you still hold back some elements of your story. However, it is in the past and not my concern, for the moment. What is my concern is the fact that your appearance has coincided with a string of disappearances and murders of young ones across Narnia along the same path we took to return to Cair Paravel. Do you know anything about these events?"

Katerina shook her head, "You mean that someone is stealing and then murdering _children_? And, you suspect _me_ of being involved in such reprehensible atrocities? I told you once before that I am not the type of person to stand by while a child is being hurt. That means I am not the type of person who would arrange, carry out, or aid and abet anyone who was committing such evil, especially against children."

He needed a true, unguarded reaction, so he said the words that galled him to think, much less speak. "These are not human children."

Finally, anger flashed through her eyes as she drew herself up and leveled a hard glare at him. "Don't you dare demean me by attempting to say I only care about human children. I have never allowed innocents to be tortured or harmed in anyway, and I'll not allow a small matter of species to change my stand. There may have been only humans in my old world, but that never kept me from stopping the same bullies who tried to beat up the younger children all those times when they tried to torture a litter of kittens or threw stones at a puppy. I don't tolerate bullies or anyone else who think they can get away with being cruel toward those who are weaker than they are and cannot hope to defend themselves. I give you my word that I knew nothing about these disappearances and murders until tonight when you told me about them."

Oreius nodded slowly then pressed for the answer to the last question bothering him. "What was different about last night? You were hiding things from the kings and they noticed, but I do not think it was the same thing that troubled you tonight. So tell me, what was it last night that kept you up 'til the fourth hour?"

Katerina frowned and stepped away from him for the first time as she began to pace. "You're right, last night was different. I am used to the nightmares that are drawn from my own memories, but the dream I had last night was terrifying. It was... It was evil and it scared me more than any of my previous nightmares, which is saying something, believe me. I stood on a hill surrounded by darkness, from behind came a light but it grew dimmer by the moment as if the darkness became so heavy as to smother the light. I could hear voices speaking, no, screaming for help, for mercy, but I could not move. I tried to call out to them to give them something to guide them through the darkness to this one patch of light, but my words echoed back and the screams continued. Then, I saw the monster who haunts my memories and he was dragging a girl away from me into the darkness. I screamed for him to let her go and he turned to me revealing the girl to be Lucy. He mocked me and said this is the payment for my actions. I chased them down the hill into the darkness, and as I ran I heard the screams for help turn into cries of condemnation. I kept running, trying to catch the monster before he hurt Lucy, but I wasn't fast enough."

Katerina looked frightened as she suddenly paused in her story and ran her hands through her hair before she continued in a distressed tone. "Then, the darkness turned into the throne room of Cair Paravel and, umm, I saw the four thrones covered in blood with each of the royals lying dead at the foot of their respective throne. I felt a burning sensation in my hands and I looked down only to see that I held a bloody knife in one hand and a struggling Fox kit in the other. My clothes were covered in blood and looking around I could see more bodies. I tried to let the Fox kit go, but my hands no longer obeyed my will. Instead, the throne room morphed into a large field covered in the dead while beyond it the forests were burning and I could see the outlines of people, of Narnians, as they ran from the darkness and from me. I tried to let the Fox go, then I tried to drop the knife, but it didn't work. Instead, I raised the knife and I heard this voice whispering, "All the pieces are on the board, and now Narnia is mine." The only good thing about that nightmare is I woke up as the knife went down. That is what woke me last night. That is why I didn't dare go back to sleep for hours. I don't even know how I'm going to sleep tonight after telling you about it. The worst thing about it is it felt real, it felt too real, and I don't know why. Now, you tell me, am I evil or have I just gone insane or something?"

Oreius frowned and shook his head. "No, no I do not think you are evil or completely insane. This is something else." Oreius tapped his left forehoof against the floor as he went over everything in his head. He pulled open the drapes, allowing the moon and, more importantly, the stars to be seen through the parlor window. He searched the night sky and nodded to himself at what he read in the heavens, then he turned back to Katerina Alambiel who was watching him with open curiosity. "Are you aware that Centaurs can read the stars much like you would read a book? Sometimes the stars carry news of joy, other times of sorrow, and there are still other times where they carry warnings of danger to Narnia and her people. Tonight the stars speak of a great danger coming to Narnia. I believe this dream you had last night was also a warning. It gives the details that the stars only hint at. It tells of the possible outcome for Narnia if we fail to prevent the foe that has slipped into Narnia from completing their plan. Someone wants Narnia to own, but their ownership equals destruction."

"But, why am I the one who dreamed it? Why didn't this warning come to someone who will actually be believed?"

"I do not know. However, I do know that we must be very careful in how we approach both the danger and the process of revealing it to others."

"Why?"

Oreius looked down at Katerina and he could see the desperate need to know, to understand what was happening, but he could only give her so much information before he too floundered for the answers. "Because you are clearly a part of all of this, and unfortunately your position in the dream indicates that the enemy responsible for the danger is also tied to you in some way. That is all the evidence some in Narnia might need to justify attacking you or killing you without care for the consequences because in their minds it would be confirmation that you are indeed a witch. I do not know why this dream came to you, Katerina Alambiel, but perhaps it is part of the reason that Aslan brought you to Narnia."

Katerina nodded though she looked less than satisfied with his answer. "So, what are we going to do now?"

"I will speak with the Kings and Queen Susan privately in the morning after training about all that we have discussed tonight. But, for now, you must get what rest you can. I don't want to see you arrive late tomorrow." He hid a grin as she groaned when she realized he had no intention of allowing her to take a break from training before seventh day. He stopped and looked back right before he opened the guest suite's door. "Katerina, it might help to leave the candles lit and the drapes open tonight, but also remember that we are given the darkness because it allows the light to shine all the brighter. Now, go rest."

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The sorcerer cackled as he watched the Centaur general leave Katerina Alambiel's chambers just as one of the more suspicious Narnians spied him and jumped to the conclusion that the witch had now enthralled the good general. This one was so easily led down such dark paths as to make it almost too simple for him to control certain outcomes of the game. The general was too preoccupied with what his pawn had told him to fully recognize who was watching him, and he placed too much trust in his soldiers to keep a truly suspicious watch over his surroundings inside Cair Paravel.

It seemed the dream he had sent his pawn was working in the plot to gain the trust of the General and the four children who played at being kings and queens. He wondered if Katerina was having trouble sleeping, and oh, how he hoped so. Soon, very soon all of Narnia would bow to him or perish. Narnia belonged to him. He was Jannes the Great, and he would not allow children, any Centaur, or the Lion to keep him from claiming what was rightfully his.

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**A/N: Please read and review! Your reviews are being used to feed my muse! What do you think of this glimpse into Katerina's past? What about Oreius' reaction? And, the evil sorcerer has been revealed...well, his name anyway. What do you think is going to happen next? Click the little review button below and tell me what your thoughts are!**


	12. Chapter Eleven: A Meeting

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Eleven: A Meeting

It was still early when Oreius entered the High King's study, as he had not made his three students stay on the training grounds for more than an hour. He was pleased to see Queen Susan was present in addition to her brothers for he had wondered if she would be about so early in the morning. He quickly launched into a re-telling of everything he learned the night before and other than turning pale at various points, especially when he related the dream Katerina had experienced two nights past, the three monarchs listened intently and without interruption. Oreius finally reached the end of his re-telling and waited for the Kings and Queen to ask their questions. Of course, it was King Edmund who broke the silence, though not quite on the subject Oreius had expected. "I'm suddenly glad I haven't had breakfast yet."

A faint smile ghosted across Queen Susan's lips before she shook her head, "Honestly, Edmund, is that all you have to say?"

"Of course not, Susan. I also have to say that I don't blame Katerina at all for refusing to share what was bothering her yesterday at training."

High King Peter smirked at Edmund's light teasing, but then he turned to Oreius. "What do you think Katerina's dream means, Oreius?"

Oreius hesitated as he tried to order his thoughts concerning the matter. "It is difficult to determine the exact meaning, but I do know it serves as a warning. Someone intends harm to the four of you and to everyone else in Narnia who would resist them. However, your majesties I believe we must be on our guard against more than the direct threat."

Edmund narrowed his eyes, "You mean we may have more than just this witch or sorcerer or whoever it is that wants to take over Narnia and kill us. Because...because the dream put Katerina in a position of responsibility for everything terrible that occurred, so if the right, err, wrong people knew about that little detail we would have a true witch hunt on our hands with Katerina as their target. And, since..."

Oreius nodded, "And, since your majesties have welcomed Katerina Alambiel and I personally vouched for her, then it could be enough to cause unrest. Especially since we are only a year removed from Jadis' tyranny and her sorcery, it could reveal much resentment and allow fear and suspicions to overrule common sense among many Narnians. I know there are some among the army who already look at Katerina Alambiel and see only Jadis reborn."

The three monarchs exchanged uneasy glances before turning back to him, this time with Queen Susan speaking for them. "But, you are certain that Katerina Alambiel is not behind this plot to attack Narnia or our family?"

"I am as certain as I can be, your majesty, I have spoken with Katerina at length and everything she does confirms what she has said. She has been here for ten days and I have yet to see her investigating the Cair on her own. She spends her time in training, with Queen Lucy, or in the guest suite assigned to her. She is not unaware of the patterns present in your majesties' and the rest of Cair Paravel's routine, but she does not seek to take advantage of anything or anyone."

High King Peter leaned forward slightly, "How do you know that for sure?"

"Other than Sherket, Alithia, and myself, has anyone mentioned Captain Alaois' behavior toward her on the journey here?"

"No."

"Because she has not mentioned it to anyone since the last time he confronted her, not even to myself or Sherket. And, we made sure she knew she was to report him if he tried to cause trouble while she is under your majesties' protection. Furthermore, she has not forced her presence."

Edmund nodded, "Yes, and if she were trying to curry favor with us, it is more likely that she would try to be a visible presence of, well, of usefulness. I mean the most useful thing she's really done is to distract Lucy while we have these meetings and I doubt she planned to do that. So, it doesn't fit the pattern really of someone who only wants to learn our weaknesses so they can start a coup and kill us all."

Peter and Susan exchanged another look before Peter spoke up, "Well, that makes more sense than this being some elaborate plot to dupe us into trusting a witch disguised as a friend or would-be friend. Not to mention the fact that Lucy trusts her and she has always been a good judge of character. So, we're in agreement that for now the details of Katerina's dream will be kept quiet and we shall continue to adhere to the arrangement we originally decided on with Katerina. However, Oreius, I would like it if you were to assign a couple more of the seasoned officers to keep guard whenever Katerina is with Lucy just to be on the safe side. Now, we just have to pray to Aslan that we are not wrong about our Katerina Alambiel's role in this game."

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Jannes watched with a mix of disgust and fascination as his pawn quickly followed the youngest royal through the many halls of Cair Paravel. He hated how bright and cheery and joyful the child was, especially since it was helping Katerina to put aside her worries about the dreams and the murders. But, it still fascinated him because he had never personally experienced such emotions as this girl showcased and often brought to others around her. No, that wasn't right, once a very long time ago he had known the same joy but it was stolen from him like Narnia was stolen from him. However, unlike Narnia, Jannes had no interest in reclaiming the emotion of true joy. He preferred the darkness to the light and soon darkness would cover all of Narnia.

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Lucy grinned as Katerina groused about being dragged all over Cair Paravel without breakfast. She was almost as grouchy as Edmund when she didn't eat. "Come on, Kat, we are going to have breakfast on the east terrace, and we haven't really gone all over the Cair."

She laughed as Katerina sighed, "Yes, but Lucy, do you ever stop moving? And, I do mean really stop moving, because from what I've seen all you do is bounce around like a rabbit on a sugar high."

"I'm not on a sugar high, and Edmund says that Oreius is always telling you three to move, move, and move. So, I'm actually helping you meet Oreius' instructions."

Katerina smirked, "Oreius tells us to move, move, move because he or one of the other sword masters are coming at us full-force. Moreover, I have no problem moving when I am fighting, especially after Oreius turned me into the flying wonder. However, I am not convinced that rhetoric applies to the rest of my day as well. Your company is most delightful, Queen Lucy, but this old soul just wants to sit…and eat something before my stomach eats my backbone out of desperation."

Lucy laughed and ran back to grab Katerina's hand before pulling her onto the terrace, "Will this do, Kat?"

She watched as Katerina observed the table laden with all the breakfast dishes imaginable then looked down at her and winked. "Oh, this might do justice to me hunger, indeed. Are your brothers going to join us?"

"Yes, along with Susan. Why?"

Katerina smiled at her, "Because that means we need to take our pick first, if we really want to have the full spread to choose from because I saw what Oreius put them through and if they still haven't eaten...well, the table may not last the meal."

Lucy laughed in delight and joined Katerina in running over to the table of food. She was still laughing when Peter, Edmund, and Susan joined them a few moments later. "What's so funny, Lu?"

"Oh, Edmund, Kat was just telling me about what happened to you and Peter in training today. I had no idea you could hop one foot and hold on to your other foot with one hand while trying to chase Peter around with your sword in the other hand. Is that why your training didn't last as long this morning?"

Peter choked on his drink while Edmund turned red and glared at Katerina who was apparently too preoccupied with the scrambled eggs and toast on her plate to notice his glare. Then she commented without looking up, "You know that was the strangest thing I have seen here, and to your credit, Edmund you did eventually tackle Peter. Although, that was due in large part to the fact that he was laughing so hard he tripped over his own feet. But, still thanks to the two of you, training wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be today and I didn't even get tossed across the training yard this time."

Edmund crossed his arms and glared at Katerina's bent head while Lucy stifled another laugh and a quick glance told her Susan and Peter were having the same struggle. "Oh really?"

"Yes, really, King Edmund. I mean when you consider the fact that you distracted Oreius enough for me to score a hit against him, then that unfortunate incident involving your foot and Peter's helmet was a brilliant tactical diversion. Don't you agree, Lucy?"

Lucy grinned, "Oh yes." She started bouncing in her seat again, but she didn't stop even when Susan shook her head and Katerina smirked at her before commenting that the rabbit was on another sugar high. Peter and Edmund both laughed and Susan smiled, but then Peter finally asked Lucy the question she had been waiting for all morning. "All right, Lucy, what is it you have planned for today?"

She bounced out of her chair and ran over to lean against Peter's arm. "Oh, Peter, can I take Katerina with me to see Sarah and her new foal down at the stables? And, then can we go on a picnic in the little meadow with all the wildflowers? Sarah told me they were in the last bloom for the season. Please, please?"

Peter looked at Edmund and Susan over her head, then he looked back at her and smiled. "Well, I suppose so if it is all right with Katerina Alambiel. And, only if you take six guards with you when you leave Cair Paravel's walls, agreed?"

"Agreed."

Lucy smiled as she hugged Peter then dragged Katerina to her feet and away from the table. "Come on, Kat. This is going to be so much fun and I can't wait to introduce you to Sarah. She is the sweetest Horse I have ever met and her new foal is just adorable. She said she would officially introduce us today and I don't think she'll mind meeting you too. Actually, I think you will get along swell together especially since she is Philip's older sister and she loves to tease."

Lucy barely paused for breath as she continued to fill Katerina on the family dynamics between this Sarah and Philip who seemed to have a claim on King Edmund. Katerina smirked as she allowed herself to be dragged past several amused guards in the direction of what she assumed was the stables. And, Lucy wondered why she had called her a rabbit on a sugar high, oh it was going to take a miracle to keep up with Lucy's boundless energy.

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**A/N: So, this is a short break from the dark stuff. Don't worry it won't last long. Do y'all think I got the family dynamics between the Pevensies right? Please read and review! Your reviews inspire me to write faster and help bribe my fickle muse (like there's any other kind of muse?). Click the little review button below and tell me what y'all think is going to happen next.**


	13. Chapter Twelve: An Outing

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Twelve: An Outing

Lucy cheerfully waved goodbye to Sarah and her sweet little foal, Isaac. She grinned at Katerina who was still following faithfully behind as she led the way to the kitchens. "I think that visit went splendidly, don't you Kat?"

Katerina smirked, "Do you mean before or after Sarah ran me through the inquisition?"

"She wasn't that bad and she meant well."

Katerina looked down at her, "Believe me, I know she had good intentions. It's just that sometimes I get tired of having my motives questioned by everyone I meet. However, once Sarah decided I was not an evil threat to _her_ queen, one could say that the visit went 'splendidly' indeed."

Lucy grabbed Katerina's hand and squeezed, "You know it's an honor to be among the first introduced to a Horse's foal. What did you think?"

"Isaac was certainly a little sweetheart and his dam was justly proud of him. Though, I had the impression that Sarah wasn't sure if she really wanted to introduce me to him or not."

"Well, she wasn't going to at first, but then I told her that you had insisted I check with her before coming any closer and she thought you had wonderful manners. Of course, that might be why she was so nosy about who you were and why you were here. I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable."

"It was never you and it wasn't really Sarah either, it's just sometimes my past rears its ugly head at times when I would prefer to ignore it and being questioned doesn't summon a lot of fond memories. The only good thing was that Sarah did not ask me if I was a witch. But, enough talk on that particular subject, especially since it doesn't really create a pleasant conversation. Where are you dragging me now?"

Lucy squeezed Katerina's hand again and hoped the older girl recognized that she understood and wouldn't press her any further on the topic of her past. Then, she brightened as she increased her pace while pulling Katerina Alambiel along behind her. "We're going down to the kitchens. Cook will have prepared a basket for us to take on the picnic. Then, we meet the rest of the guards at the gates and we'll be on our way to the meadow."

Katerina glanced over her shoulder at Satyrs Caflice and Gorlois before shrugging, "More the merrier, I guess. Lucy, we just spent two hours visiting with Sarah. Exactly how far is it to this meadow of yours?"

"Oh, it's a two-hour hike to the meadow, why?"

"Well, it... two hours? I don't suppose that's the time for the roundtrip, is it? No, I thought not. So, if we leave in the next thirty minutes or so, it will be noon before we reach the meadow?"

"Yes, which is why we are bringing lunch with us."

"Of course, it is. Why are we going to this particular meadow instead of one that's, oh I don't know, closer?"

"Because this meadow has the most beautiful flowers and they look their best when in their final bloom, which Sarah told me was happening this week. I know it seems like a lot of work for nothing, but trust me when we get there you will be grateful for the trip."

"I think we'll have to see about that. And, how much time are we going to spend in your meadow?"

Lucy's grin faded a little as she remembered the argument she had with Peter and Susan yesterday when she first told them she wanted to visit her meadow this week. "Well, I'm afraid we can only spend an hour there because Peter and Susan insisted that we be back inside Cair Paravel before dark. But, you'll still be able to see why this meadow is so special, I promise."

"I believe you. Let's hurry up and get the food so we can go to this wonderful meadow of yours."

Lucy grinned as she increased her pace and felt Katerina lengthen her stride too. This was going to be the perfect day she just knew it.

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"Come on, Kat, admit it! It was worth the hike wasn't it?"

Katerina looked over at Lucy then around at the meadow. The meadow was carpeted in a riot of colors with flowers ranging from chrysanthemums and asters to clumps of snapdragons and lilies. She turned back to Lucy who was the picture of triumph and sighed, "Okay, okay, I admit this is one of the most flowery and beautiful meadows I have seen and... It was indeed worth walking two hours to come and see it even though it was only for an hour. Happy now?" Lucy nodded. "Good, now hand me the rest of the dishes so we can get going."

Katerina hid a laugh when Lucy handed her the dishes with a roll of her eyes, then the Cougar guard who'd never told her his name walked over to them, well to Lucy. Katerina wouldn't be surprised if the four extra guards blamed her, not Lucy, for this excursion. The Cougar spoke to Lucy in that raspy voice that all the male big Cats seemed to possess. "Your majesty, please hurry. We still need to go back to the Cair and if we do not leave soon, it will be more of a challenge to reach Cair Paravel before dark as per the High King's orders. I'm afraid we cannot linger here."

Lucy smiled. "Don't worry, Heru, we're almost done with cleaning up. So, you can tell the others that we will be leaving in a few minutes."

Heru bowed his head. "Yes, your majesty." He stalked off to the south side of the meadow where Katerina guessed the guards had stationed themselves as they waited for Lucy to indicate she was ready to leave.

Katerina finished repacking the basket, which was now much lighter than it had been, and rose to her feet. She absently brushed some pieces of grass off her skirt while Lucy called for Heru. Brushing the hair out of her eyes, she wondered what was keeping Heru and the other guards. They had been insistent on leaving, but now they didn't answer or come when Lucy called. A cold breeze suddenly sprang to life, making both Katerina and Lucy shiver as they stood watching the trees where Heru had disappeared from sight. Katerina stiffened as she realized something was very wrong with their surroundings. "Lucy, what do you hear?"

"I don't hear anything, not even birds."

"That's what I was afraid of. We need to go. Now." Katerina held her hand out and began leading Lucy to where she had last seen the guards.

Six shadows appeared by the tree line as they approached, but something felt off about them. Lucy called out before Katerina could warn her, then her worst fears came true when the shadows emerged into the light and were revealed to be Werewolves. The one directly in front of her snarled, "Greetings, Katerina Alambiel. Our master bids you surrender the queen and to fetch the other royal brats. He also says you did well and have pleased him to the point that he will release you from your service when this mission is over."

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**A/N: *Cue suspenseful music* Did anyone see that coming? Please read and review! Click the little review button below and tell me what y'all think. If I get four new reviews, I'll post the next chapter tonight.**


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Run!

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Thirteen: Run!

"Katerina?"

Katerina felt shock war with rage at the Werewolf's words, but the note of uncertainty in Lucy's voice tore at her. She tightened her grip on Lucy's hand before letting go. She didn't know how she was going to pull off the plan forming in her mind, but she was going to do her best. "Run, Lucy. Run!"

The Werewolves hesitated at her unexpected reaction, giving her enough time to grab a fist-sized rock and throw it at one Werewolf's head. Fortunately, the Werewolf didn't react in time and the rock hit hard enough that it knocked him out. She saw Lucy running across the meadow out of the corner of her eye as she jumped to the side to avoid one of the Werewolves when he lunged at her. She was outnumbered by at least five Werewolves and she didn't have any type of weapon, so taking her own advice, Katerina leaped over the unconscious Werewolf and ran. She had to find the guards before the Werewolves found Lucy.

She didn't have to run far. Not even twenty feet from the meadow, she stumbled over something lying on the ground. She gagged when she look down and saw the mutilated body of one of the Satyrs. A quick glance told her that five of the guards were dead, but she didn't see Heru anywhere. Maybe he escaped. A growl from behind propelled her into action. She grabbed two of the swords lying near the guards' bodies, shoving one into her belt while she kept the other drawn, and ran back to the meadow. There was no way she was going to let a bunch of mutant dogs beat her, not if she had anything to say about it.

She surprised the Werewolves again when she ran right at them instead of running away like most sane people would. Katerina took advantage of the fact and cut down two of the Werewolves before they realized she was armed. _I need to remember to thank Oreius for teaching me how to use a sword effectively when this is over...if I survive._ She wounded another Werewolf and dodged around him. She had to keep moving. She couldn't let them bog her down in a fight, not if she wanted to stay alive long enough to find Lucy.

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Lucy ran as fast as she could, but her skirts kept getting caught in the undergrowth like the plants didn't want her to escape. "Oh, no! Stop! Please you're supposed to be my friends. Help! Somebody help me! Please!" Lucy gasped as her foot caught in a vine and she tumbled down a short hill to land in a creek. She cried out in pain when she tried to stand then collapsed. Then she froze as she heard a harsh growl come from overhead, looking up she saw one of the Werewolves staring down at her. _Aslan, please help me. Send someone to find me._

The Werewolf bared his teeth in a sickening grin as he slid down the incline until he crouched only a foot away from she lay in the creek. "Aww, did the little one hurt her leg? Is she no longer able to run? Master said he wants you alive, but he never said you had to be in one piece. Let's see should I start with an arm or maybe that injured leg of yours? Or, maybe I'll just eat both."

Lucy frantically tried to pull herself up, but she couldn't do it with her twisted ankle. The Werewolf wiggled in excitement as he focused on his new meal. He heard the bushes rustle a moment too late when a piercing scream of rage filled the air. Lucy stared in shock as Katerina Alambiel slammed into the Werewolf feet first before she darted between her and the winded Fell Beast.

The Werewolf snarled at Katerina. "What part of surrender the girl was unclear?"

"Nothing. But, I'm not going to surrender her to a bunch of mangy curs without a fight."

The Werewolf howled before looking at Katerina with open hatred. "I don't care what the Master said, you will die here, Alambiel." He threw himself at her and she barely twisted out of the way of his claws. He growled low in his throat, "Don't fight him, Katerina Alambiel, you should know by now that you won't win."

Katerina raised her sword. "That just means your master doesn't know me very well. I fully intend to prove him wrong." Katerina slashed across the Werewolf's shoulders when he leaped at her and kicked him hard in the gut, which succeeded in knocking him back. She dropped into a crouch as the Werewolf's claws sliced through the space where her head had just been and stabbed up through his ribcage. The Werewolf gave a strangled yelp before he collapsed.

Lucy stared with a mix of relief and fear as Katerina wiped her sword blade clean then turned to her. "Are you all right, Lucy?"

She shook her head. "My ankle twisted when I fell down the hill."

Katerina helped her to gain her feet and limp onto the opposite bank of the creek. She gently prodded Lucy's ankle then ripped a long strip of cloth from the hem of her shirt and wrapped it around Lucy's rapidly swelling ankle. "Come on, let's get you as far away from here as we can manage."

Lucy let Katerina pull her up and take most her weight. "Wait, what about the guards?"

"I'm afraid that five of your guards are dead. I didn't see Heru among the bodies, but that could mean anything."

Lucy hesitated then looked at Katerina's face watching her expression as she asked, "Why did the Werewolves say those things to you, Katerina Alambiel? How did they know who you were?"

Katerina's face hardened for a moment then all emotion disappeared from her expression and her voice when she finally responded. "I wish I could give you an answer, Queen Lucy. But, I'm afraid I can't at the moment."

Lucy pondered the change in Katerina. She wanted to believe she really was her friend, but the Werewolves' words to and about Katerina Alambiel had made her feel like she didn't really know Katerina at all. She wished Aslan were here or Peter or Edmund or Oreius or Susan. She tried to pick up the pace as the howls of the remaining Werewolves shattered the forest's unnatural silence. She glanced up at Katerina and whispered, "Do you think Heru is alive?"

"I don't know, Lucy, but if he is alive, you should be confident that your brothers are going to come charging to the rescue before all this is over. I guarantee it."

Katerina looked over her shoulder as another round of howls filled the air and sounded closer than before. She shoved the sword through her belt and helped Lucy to limp faster and sometimes she even lifted her over fallen logs as they tried to keep away from the Werewolves. But, then the sun started to set and the Werewolves became bolder as they harried Lucy and Katerina through the woods. They would leap over boulders and land in front of them, but almost never close enough for Katerina to wound. Lucy gazed up at Katerina in fearful exhaustion, "They're herding us." Katerina didn't say anything, she just nodded and helped Lucy over a pile of boulders.

It was after nightfall when Katerina jerked them both to a halt after what felt to Lucy like hours of running for their lives. She was almost too tired to realize why they had stopped, but then Katerina dropped her hold around her waist and drew her second sword. Lucy blinked when Katerina held the weapon out to her, but she took it. It was heavier than her dagger and she needed both hands to hold it up. A growl cut through the fog of weariness around her and Lucy looked up to see that Katerina had stopped because they were completely surrounded by Werewolves and Boggles and Ghouls.

_Aslan, help us, please._ Lucy watched in amazement as Katerina Alambiel stepped in front of her and taunted the Fell Beasts surrounding them. "Is this all you could bring? I was expecting more."

One of the Werewolves stepped out from his fellows and snarled. "You're insane if you think you can defeat all of us by yourself. There is no help coming to you tonight, Katerina Alambiel. So, surrender the girl and you'll live."

Katerina smirked, "It's not the first time I've been called insane. However, I will not surrender her to the likes of you. You can try to take her, but I promise that many of you will die if you attempt to do so. Why don't you let the girl go and we'll walk away from this little encounter alive. Or, you could choose to surrender to us. Take your pick."

The Werewolf snarled at Katerina but he didn't bother to answer her challenge. Instead, he howled a battle cry, which the other Werewolves eagerly joined in, while Katerina braced herself for the coming fight. Lucy watched as the Fell Beasts tried to trick Katerina into making a fatal mistake. They took turns attacking her and trying to draw her away from where she stood protectively in front of Lucy. It didn't work and every time they attacked Katerina would easily strike them down without being pulled to closer to the circle of Fell Beasts. They didn't change tactics until after thirteen of the Fell Beasts had met their end on Katerina's blade. Then they began attacking in groups and Lucy had to join Katerina in fending them off. Suddenly, ten Werewolves charged them and managed to knock Lucy away from Katerina. She heard Katerina shout her name and looked up to see her frantically fighting her way through the Werewolves toward her.

A Werewolf crouched in front of Lucy and grinned as a Ghoul crept up next to him. Lucy felt the handle of the sword Katerina had given her underneath her hand and she quickly stabbed the Ghoul in the shoulder when the Fell Beast tried to grab her foot. The Ghoul squealed in pain and lifted its spear to strike her, but then the Werewolf snapped its neck with one heavy blow. He snatched the sword from her and tossed it away before he lifted her off the ground and slung her over his shoulder. She screamed for Katerina. But, raising her head, she saw Katerina Alambiel being held by four Werewolves and then another Werewolf struck her on the back of the head with a huge rock. Lucy screamed again as she was carried away into the night by the Werewolves while Katerina lay dead or unconscious. Tears streamed down her face as she whispered a silent prayer. _Please, Alsan, let Katerina be all right. Let Peter, Edmund, and Oreius find her and me. Please help us, Aslan, protect us. _

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**A/N: I know, I know, I am an evil, evil author. I need reviews if you want to find out what happens next before this weekend. Your reviews inspire me to write faster and you want me to write faster 'cause I haven't finished the next chapter yet. Click the little review button below and let me know what y'all think about the story...other than the fact that I'm a cruel and evil author.**


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Missing Queen

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Fourteen: Missing Queen

Cair Paravel

"Are they not back yet, Edmund?"

"Not yet, Peter. Relax, they are only ten minutes late. I'm sure Lucy was slow about leaving, that's all. You know how she can be sometimes. Who knows maybe Katerina is taking the time to remind Lucy that asking if it's all right with someone actually means she has to ask, not just drag them along behind her."

Peter chuckled, "Yes, our Lucy is really quite attached to Katerina. I hope everything is all right though, I mean this meadow is a bit out of the way and I don't think Lucy told Katerina that when she got her to agree to go with her."

"You put six of our best guards on watch duty for this little outing, what's the worst that can happen, Peter?"

Peter shook his head, "I don't know and I don't even want to imagine what would count as the worst thing that could possibly happen on Lucy and Katerina's outing. I just hope I don't end up regretting giving Lucy my permission to go out there even with her escort by her side. Come on, Ed, let's go find Oreius."

"I bet he's in the armory probably plotting revenge for the havoc you caused this morning at training."

"The havoc _I_ caused? You're mistaken, Edmund, that was all your fault and Oreius knows it. So, it's you who has to worry about tomorrow's training, not I." The brothers were still bickering when they left the High King's study to find the Centaur general.

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"General Oreius."

Oreius looked up from sharpening his claymore at the sound of his name being called. He was less than pleased to see Captain Alaois standing in the armory entrance waiting to be acknowledged. The Satyr had been brooding ever since Oreius had confronted him over his behavior on the journey back to Cair Paravel. Oreius sighed as he set down the sharpening stone and sheathed his claymore, he supposed he should be grateful that Alaois hadn't been as contentious as he had really expected him to be. "I take it you wish to speak to me, Captain Alaois?"

Alaois glanced around the armory, which was surprisingly deserted for the time of day, then he jerked his head in assent. "Yes, I wanted to speak with you privately on several important matters."

Oreius resisted the urge to roll his eyes at Alaois' statement, after all the Satyr's definition of 'important matters' rarely matched his own and were usually just an excuse for the captain to complain about another officer. Instead he waved his hand at the empty armory, "Since there is no one here but us, speak your mind."

Alaois glanced around then stepped fully into the room. "I must confess, General Oreius, that I was not expecting you to agree to speak with me. Perhaps there is still hope."

Oreius scowled, "What are you talking about, Alaois? Hope for what?"

"Not what. Who. There is still hope for you, General, if you would just listen to what I have to say. The woman who pretends to be a friend of Narnia is lying to you and their majesties. Perhaps you are unaware of the fact the disappearances and murders of the young ones have followed in the wake of this woman, this witch. Or perhaps she has convinced you to ignore the facts. I don't know, but if you have any hope of redeeming yourself, Oreius, you must cease to treat this witch as someone who can be trusted. She has done nothing but lie since she happened to save Queen Lucy. She is not to be trusted!"

"Alaois, you cannot accuse without proof of wrongdoing, you know that. Katerina Alambiel is not a witch. She is simply a Daughter of Eve who has protected Queen Lucy twice now and who's had the misfortune of arriving at the same time as the disappearances and murders, but she is not the one responsible. I have already warned you once not to cause trouble for her while she is under the protection of the Kings and Queens. But, you did not listen very well since you are at it again and now you accuse me of failing in my duty to protect my kings and queens and Narnia. I do not need to redeem myself for I have committed no wrongs against Narnia or the royals. You are allowing your prejudice and fear to blind you against the truth so all you see is deception and lies where there are none. You are a fool, Alaois."

Oreius watched as Alaois threw his head back and stamped one of his hooves in outrage. "How dare you? You are the one who is being a fool, Centaur, not I. You have spent too much time in the company of the witch and she has ensnared you so completely that you do not see the truth of what she is. I know where you were last night. I saw you come out of the witch's rooms in the second hour past midnight. What did she say to you that you would blindly follow her honeyed words and speak in her defense to anyone who suspects the truth about her? Do you even remember? Perhaps she cast a spell to enthrall you and then another to make you forget you are now her slave. Why-"

A new voice cut Alaois off mid-rant and Oreius watched with grim satisfaction as the Satyr guiltily turned to face the newcomer. "Captain Alaois, when did it become acceptable for soldiers to harangue their commanding officer? It is not your place to accuse the good General of incompetence or neglect of his duty."

"Actually, Peter, it sounded like the captain was working his way up to an accusation of treason. Of course, I believe he was about to ask the General a question."

"Then, let us hear the question. Please continue, Captain Alaois."

Alaois audibly swallowed before he asked. "Why was Oreius in the witch's rooms at the second hour?"

Peter's eyes narrowed slightly and his tone hardened when he answered. "General Oreius was in Katerina Alambiel's parlor because he was questioning her on whether she had any knowledge of the disappearances and murders. She answered to his satisfaction and to our satisfaction. It was the decision of myself and my siblings that Katerina Alambiel was not a witch and her status of guest has not been changed. You have no grounds for your accusations save what General Oreius has correctly labeled your own prejudices and fears. You will not accuse either General Oreius or Katerina Alambiel again, for if you do, you will be accusing myself and my siblings without cause. General Oreius warned you about your conduct once, I have issued a second warning, and if you persist in your current actions, there will not be a third warning, only consequences. Have I made myself clear?"

Alaois grimaced but he bowed. "Yes, your majesty."

Oreius wondered if Alaois would blame this humiliation on Katerina Alambiel as well, probably. He looked at the kings and waited for them to speak. They had come to the armory for a purpose and it was most likely to find him. He didn't have to wait long. "General Oreius, Peter's concerned that Lucy and Katerina Alambiel haven't returned from their outing yet. They are exactly twenty minutes late, so-"

Edmund cut himself off as Sherket skidded into the armory. "General, majesties, Heru just returned alone and badly injured."

Oreius looked at Alaois and snapped, "Captain, alert Ardon to meet us at the gates with his battalion. Hurry." He raced after Peter and Edmund without waiting to see if Alaois followed his command. They burst into the main courtyard and found Sefu trying to keep Heru conscious. The Cougar was bleeding from numerous cuts including a series of deep gashes across his ribs and another deep cut across his left eye. Oreius was amazed that Heru had lived much less run all the way back to the Cair.

Peter dropped to his knees beside the Cougar. "Heru, can you hear me Cousin?"

Heru tried to lift his head unsuccessfully and rasped, "I'm sorry, my king, I couldn't...I couldn't stop them. I...failed you and the queen."

Peter shook his head. "There is nothing to forgive, Cousin. I know you did your best. Can you tell us what happened?"

Heru shuddered in pain as he struggled to speak. "We were...attacked by Werewolves...too many...they cut us off...from Lucy. I...I was the only survivor." Heru was cut off as a harsh cough racked his battered body. Oreius feared the Cougar would be overcome by his injuries before he could tell them anything else. Then, Queen Susan came running up to them with Queen Lucy's cordial in her hand. She fell to her knees and carefully poured a drop from the cordial into the Cougar's mouth. Heru coughed once then raised his head. "Majesties, before I left the clearing, I heard the Werewolves reveal themselves to the queen and...they knew Katerina Alambiel."

Oreius barely kept his own shock and disbelief from showing as the royals stared wide-eyed at Heru. Peter regained his ability to speak first. "Are you certain, Heru?"

"Yes, your majesty, I clearly heard one of the Werewolves greet Katerina Alambiel before I managed to gather my strength enough to return to Cair Paravel."

Queen Susan paled and looked at Peter, "Do you think it's true?"

Peter shook his head, "I don't know. Heru, stay here and rest. You have done well, Cousin. Susan, you will remain here with Sherket. Sefu, Oreius, Edmund, let's go find them."

In less than fifteen minutes, Oreius accompanied his kings, Sefu, and Alaois as they led Ardon and his battalion at a run toward the meadow where the queen had gone missing. _Aslan, let us find the queen. And if Katerina is the enemy, let us stop her. If she is not, show us before it is too late. Give us your wisdom and grant us speed._

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Jannes howled in rage as he watched the Narnians charge into the meadow only an hour after they left Cair Paravel. He had wanted them to be unaware of the youngest royal's abduction until it was too late to save her. But, now they were searching out the trail before his Werewolves had returned to him with the queen. He cursed and threw the bones in a fit of temper before he calmed and turned back to watch the progress of both his Werewolves and the Narnians. There was still time. All this meant was that Queen Lucy would not die tonight. Perhaps, though he will be able to kill her with at least her brothers watching as they stood helpless and unable to stop him. Yes that sounded so appealing, then he would kill the younger brother, then the elder, kill the elder girl when his army swept over Cair Paravel, and finally after all the royals were killed, he would kill that cursed Centaur general. Yes, yes, a small delay would be worth the amount of torment and pain he could put them all through before he finally took his rightful place as ruler over all Narnia.

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**A/N: Whew! I thought I would never finish this chapter. But, here it is... It's not as dramatic as the last couple of chapters but we're building to the climax, folks! Please read and review! Let me know how I'm doing and what y'all think will happen next. Click the little review button below and tell me if y'all still want more.**


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Prisoner

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Fifteen: Prisoner

Lucy let out a cry of pain when the Werewolf who had been carrying her abruptly tossed her to the ground. He growled at her, "Be quiet or I will give you something to scream about before we reach the Master."

Lucy shivered from the cold and from her fear. This was not supposed to be happening. Where were her brothers and Oreius? Did they know she was in trouble? She was jerked from her thoughts as another group of Werewolves approached the group who had captured her. The leader snarled at the Werewolf who had carried her here. "Is this the only one? The Master will not be pleased with you, Brutus."

Brutus growled, "What about you? How does the mighty Isak plan to explain his failure to the Master? You were supposed to keep his pet Alambiel in line, but I had to take care of her instead."

Lucy froze as the larger Werewolf stepped closer to Brutus. She was now trapped between two hostile Werewolves who might start fighting at any moment. _Aslan, help._ "If you took care of the Master's pet, tell me where you have left her because none of my scouts spotted her among your little pack."

"I left her in the clearing where we stole this one. Let the self-righteous Narnians turn on her instead of us. Gives us time to return to the Master with the little queen."

Lucy stifled a scream as Isak let loose a roar of rage and raked his claws across Brutus's muzzle causing the other Werewolf to stumble backwards from the force of the blow. "Fool! The Master wants all of them. The royals, the Centaur general, and his pet Alambiel. All are to be brought to the Master, not just one Daughter of Eve." Lucy thought the bigger Werewolf was about to kill the other one when he stopped and looked down at her. A snarl twisted his mouth as he suddenly grabbed her and slung her over his shoulder. "Leave your second here to take care of the next phase of your instructions. You are coming with us to explain to the Master why you failed him."

Lucy shivered as Isak turned his back on Brutus allowing her to see the hatred burning in his eyes as blood dripped from his muzzle. She closed her eyes as the smaller group of Werewolves hurried into the night. _Aslan, protect us all. _

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Katerina Alambiel struggled to open her eyes and all the while, it felt like her head was being pounded on by dozens of giant hammers. She finally managed to push herself up off the ground and nearly fell back down before she regained her balance. She grimaced as the simple act of standing sent another stab of pain through the back of her head. She gingerly touched the lump on the back of her head and nearly yelped at the pain. Unsurprisingly, her fingers were bloody when she looked at them. _I hate Werewolves._

She fought the urge to sit down or at least stay still. She didn't have time to rest. She had to find those mangy curs before they tortured or killed Lucy for no reason other than it was fun. The light of the half moon was enough for her to see the handle of one of her swords sticking out from under a Werewolf corpse. Katerina pulled it free, wiped it clean, then began scouring the ground for the other sword. She had a feeling she would need as many weapons as she could find. Her search was rewarded after only a few minutes. Shoving the second sword into her belt, Katerina ran in the direction she had last seen the Werewolves carrying Lucy.

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Jannes grinned as he watched all the pieces on the board making their way to their appointed places. This was excellent! Soon, very soon, everything will be just as he wanted it. The game was his and soon the royals would know why he was called Jannes the Great.

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Oreius raced through the trees following the faint outline of Sefu as the Leopard led them along the trail left behind by Queen Lucy as she fled the meadow. He tried not to think about the horrific sight of the five guards who had been mutilated almost completely beyond recognition. They had left ten soldiers from Ardon's battalion to take care of the remains, while they continued on the hunt for the two Daughters of Eve. Oreius promised himself that the murderers responsible for the death of his soldiers would be dealt with and he harbored the savage hope that the murderers would meet their end on his blade in the battlefield.

He turned his attention back to Sefu just in time to skid to a halt as the Leopard stood looking down a creek embankment. Edmund rode up on Philip and Peter on Fareis the Unicorn with Ardon just behind them. Oreius stepped closer to the edge of the embankment and looked for the reason the Leopard had suddenly stopped. He saw nothing other than the body of a Fell Beast. He turned back to Sefu with a frown. "Why did you stop?"

"Because I don't know what happened to Queen Lucy's trail. I need to search the creek to see if I can find the scent again. Wait here."

Sefu leaped down the embankment and across the creek. Oreius caught the worried glance exchanged between his kings and the concern in Ardon's eyes as the other Centaur met his gaze. Oreius stamped a hoof as he rested his hands on his swords. "We will find your sister, my kings. We will find them both. Of this I am confident."

King Edmund looked at him, "I hope you're right, Oreius."

Alaois could no longer keep quiet as he muttered just loud enough for the two Centaurs to hear. "But, who's to say what condition the queen will be in when we do find her."

Oreius prayed that the brothers hadn't heard that remark as Alaois looked up to see both Centaurs glaring at him. The Satyr was saved only by Sefu calling out that he had found the trail again. Oreius shook his head slightly when Ardon glanced at him; they had more important matters to deal with at the moment than the surly Satyr captain. They quickly joined the kings on the other side of the creek with Sefu, who looked at them with a mix of hope and exasperation. "The trail starts again here, but the signs indicate that the queen was injured enough that Katerina Alambiel was forced to slow her pace when she rejoined her. They are no longer running, so we should catch up with them sooner than later. The problem being that-"

Oreius finished the sentence when Sefu could not continue, "The problem being that if we can catch up with them, so can the Werewolves. So, we must run faster and catch the Werewolves first, then the Daughters of Eve. Come!" He led the way along the trail until Sefu caught up to and passed him with a growl, then came the kings with Ardon and his battalion right behind them. Oreius looked up at the half moon shining through the trees and prayed that they would not be too late.

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Two hours had passed since Sefu picked up the trail on the other side of the creek and it had been a half-hour since they found the clearing where a great struggle had occurred between the Fell Beasts and the Daughters of Eve. Oreius barely kept his anger in check as he remembered the disheartened and alarmed looks his kings had tried to hide when they had determined that a group of Werewolves must have carried off their youngest sister. It was well that Ardon had the foresight to place a warning hand on Alaois' shoulder to keep the Satyr from saying anything rash because Oreius didn't know if he would have been able to resist the urge to throttle the fool.

He sighed and continued searching for any sign that the Werewolves were nearby or perhaps Katerina Alambiel. Sefu had been insistent that her trail was the freshest of them all and she was somewhere ahead of them but only by fifteen minutes. Oreius had given the order to split into groups of ten and fan out among the trees with the instructions to send one of the messenger Hawks or Bats if anyone spotted the Werewolves, Queen Lucy, or Katerina Alambiel. He could only hope that if Katerina was found first as they suspected, she would be found by someone other than Alaois. He didn't trust the Satyr captain not to harm Katerina and use the excuse that she was a witch and a danger to them all. Thus, he had included Alaois in his group of searchers so as to keep a better eye on the Satyr.

Oreius froze as the sound of Werewolves echoed up from a gully just ahead of him. Taking extreme care to avoid stepping on any rocks, he picked his way to the edge of the gully where a large stone jutted out allowing him to see without being out in the open. Looking down into the gully, Oreius suddenly wished his eyes and ears were deceiving him. They had found the Werewolves, but someone else was in the gully with them. The clouds in front of the moon drifted away and a shaft of moonlight left no room for doubt in Oreius' mind. The one speaking to the Werewolves was none other than Katerina Alambiel. He quietly sent one of the Bats to alert Ardon that he had found the Werewolves, he knew Ardon would take care of alerting the kings and moving the rest of the troop into position. They would attack the Werewolves as soon as Oreius gave the signal.

Oreius strained to hear the conversation between Katerina and the Werewolves. The information could be crucial to saving Queen Lucy before it was too late. The shaft of moonlight that had illuminated Katerina disappeared as another cloud drifted in front of the moon, so Oreius could no longer see her. He could only listen as she argued with the Werewolf.

"What do you mean you aren't going to give me the message?"

The Werewolf growled low in his throat before he answered in a disturbingly servile tone, "I only meant I could not give you the message when you demanded it earlier, little mistress."

"What?"

"The message, mistress, states that Master Jannes the Great commends you for your work in securing the trust of the Narnian royals and of their general. He bids you to come swiftly to his lair as the youngest royal has already been carried there. He awaits your assistance in completing the ritual."

Rage flooded Oreius as he heard the message pass between a sorcerer and if not a witch, then his apprentice, who was still innocent enough to trick even those alert and knowledgeable of witches. He had been deceived and he had allowed a dangerous enemy into the heart of Narnia and the welcoming embrace of the Four sovereigns. He was furious with both himself and with the entire situation. Shouting a battle cry, Oreius leaped into the gully swiftly followed by the others in his group and he heard the answering battle cries of the rest of the troop from either end of the gully. There would be no escape for either Werewolf or the traitor.

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Katerina watched in shock as Oreius leapt into the gully with swords drawn, the Werewolf she had been speaking to never had a chance as the furious Centaur decapitated him before the Fell Beast could do more than turn his head. She willed herself not to retreat as Oreius whirled around to face her. The rage in his dark eyes was palpable and she carefully kept her hands away from the swords on her belt. He leveled one of his swords with her throat before she could say a word and she forced herself not to move a muscle at the feel of cold metal against her skin. He stepped closer until she could no longer see the fight going on behind him, "Try to run again, traitor, and I promise you I will kill you myself."

Katerina didn't even get a chance to explain anything because as soon as Oreius delivered his ultimatum, the Centaur general spun around and charged into the melee in the center of the gully. Every Narnian she caught glimpse of was a picture of outrage. Only one thing came to mind as she watched the battle quickly turn into a rout as the Werewolves soon fought only to get away from the enraged Narnians. _They know, somehow they know._

A pair of Werewolves broke free of the fight and ran straight at her. She drew one of her swords and braced herself just in time as one of the two Werewolves rushed her. She slashed him across the chest as she ducked under his outstretched claws. The Werewolf yelped then snarled as he turned to charge her again. Katerina refused to wait and met his charge head on. The Werewolf gagged then went limp as Katerina drove her sword deep between his ribs.

A harsh growl from behind was her only warning before the second Werewolf slammed into her back. She wiggled out from under him and kicked him in the ribs, knocking him back long enough for her to pull the second sword from her belt. She leveled it at the Werewolf as she scrambled to her feet. The Werewolf circled her and she matched his movements as they both searched for an opening. The Werewolf bared his teeth and lunged for her. Katerina twisted to her right allowing his claws to rake along her upper arm, then she drove her sword down into his neck. The Werewolf collapsed, jerking the sword out of her hand.

Katerina looked around and saw the fight seemed to be nearly over as the Narnians appeared to only be chasing down the few Werewolves still trying to escape. She glanced at the two bodies and shook her head. She would leave the swords where they were for now, especially since she didn't want to risk Oreius or any of the other Narnians mistakenly thinking she was trying to fight them. She glanced up as a Satyr detached himself from the other soldiers and quickly approached her. She was about to greet him when the moon came out from behind the clouds again and she realized it was Captain Alaois. _Oh, no._

The vague hope that he wouldn't do anything too rash vanished when he punched her in the ribs. She tried to avoid his next hit but Alaois followed her relentlessly. He slammed her in the ribs again and followed with a hit to the temple that knocked her to the ground. He hit her again just above her left eye, which caused her to see double. She stopped struggling, hoping that Alaois would no longer see her as a threat and cease hitting her. Alaois stopped hitting her, but only so he could draw his sword. He pulled her hair painfully until her throat was completely exposed to his blade, and then he leaned down and hissed in her ear. "This is for Gorlois."

Katerina felt a sharp sting as Alaois put a little more pressure on his sword, then she heard a shout. "Alaois! Stop!"

Alaois didn't let go of her hair or ease the pressure on the blade against her throat as he ground out a reply. "No, Ardon. I won't let this witch escape alive."

She couldn't see Ardon, but she prayed he would be able to make the Satyr see reason as he spoke again. "Alaois, I understand your anger, but this is not the way to handle it. Killing this one will not bring the others back."

"She killed my cousin. Why should she be allowed to live any longer?"

Oreius' familiar voice joined the debate and she heard hooves coming close to where Alaois held her. "Because we need her to tell us where Queen Lucy has been taken and to tell us what else she has planned to harm Narnia."

Ardon spoke up again as Alaois finally looked at them instead of glaring down at her. "Let her go for now, and be assured that she will have to face the consequences of her actions."

"She will have to answer for what she has done?"

Oreius answered in a tone that held deadly promise. "She will. After she tells us where the queen has been taken, she will pay for her actions."

Katerina felt Alaois remove his sword and release his grip on her hair, and she finally lowered her gaze to see Oreius and another Centaur looking at her with disgust. Alaois gave her the same look as he moved to stand next to the two Centaurs. Katerina shivered as Oreius spoke again in a voice hard as iron, "Ardon, bind and gag the traitor then isolate her until the kings are ready to see her. I don't want her to be able to trick anyone into releasing her."

Ardon nodded and quickly carried out those orders before he personally escorted her out of the gully and to a clearing where two tents had been set up. He took her to the smaller of the two and secured her to the center tent pole. As soon as he left, Katerina wiggled her wrists back and forth, testing the strength of her bonds. Unfortunately, they were tight and she wasn't sure if she would be able to twist and wriggle her way out, at least not as soon as she need to. She shivered again as she leaned her head back against the pole and waited for the questioning to begin. There was always questioning before sentencing, and she could only pray that her inquisitors listened to what she had to say.

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Lucy stared in fear as the Werewolf, Isak, carried her through a series of dark tunnels. More and more Werewolves and other Fell Beasts were gathering behind Isak and Brutus as they walked, and all of them looked at her with hunger. Lucy gasped as Isak walked into a room that was only half-lit by a couple of braziers filled with an eerie green fire. The front of the room was completely shrouded in darkness. Then Isak lowered her to the ground and clamping a heavy hand around her neck, he forced Lucy to her knees as he and Brutus both bowed. She could barely make out the figure of a tall man rising from a throne. "Who are you?"

The man cackled, "My dear girl, I am Jannes the Great and the rightful king of Narnia." He stepped into the light and Lucy gasped in horror. "And, I am the one who is going to kill you and your siblings before the week has passed."

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**A/N: This was a tough chapter to write, so I hope y'all enjoy it. Please read and review, your reviews help me to write faster. Click the little review button below and let me know what y'all think about the story and what y'all think is going to happen next.**


	17. Chapter Sixteen: Questioning

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Sixteen: Questioning

"_Do you not see how it is, little one? You are nothing to them, you are worthless and no one is going to come looking for you. No one wants to take one such as you home with them. That's why you are here with me. I'm the only one who will ever have you because you are like me." She shook her head in protest as the gag painfully dug into the sides of her mouth. The Monster grinned at her then he slapped her hard making her head bang against the wall. "Don't try to backtalk, little princess. It's not polite. Besides you don't want to have to feel the cat's bite again, do you?" She shuddered at the thought of enduring yet another round of his favorite torment for her, which made him leer at her. He slapped her again, then walked out of the room taking the torch with him. Tears started running down her face as she was left alone in the dark once more._

Katerina opened her eyes and reflexively jerked against her bonds. She wriggled her wrists frantically. She had to get out of there now. Her struggles ceased abruptly as the tent flap opened and Alaois ducked inside. The Satyr stared at her with undisguised hate and she wondered if anybody knew he was in here. She hoped so, otherwise her situation was about to become a lot more painful. That hope was dashed when Alaois crouched beside her and hissed in her ear, "The others are being hesitant so I will take the information we need from you and exact the price for the deaths of my cousin and the other soldiers. And I promise you it will be a painful process and I will enjoy putting you through it, witch."

The Satyr didn't waste any time keeping his promise as he immediately slammed her head back against the pole with enough force that Katerina felt blood trickling down the back of her neck. She guessed he had reopened the wound from earlier that evening. Her vision swam as the Satyr dug his fingers into the cuts on her arm and pulled her up until her bound hands jerked against the rope securing her to the tent pole. She fell on to her knees as Alaois released his grip on her arm. She made the mistake of looking up at him and he backhanded her across the mouth then he punched her in the ribs. He continued to rain punches down on her for what felt like hours, but it was probably only a few minutes at best. The blows ceased suddenly and Katerina peered through the blood dripping down her face to see the Satyr looking at her with a mix of revulsion and regret. She understood then that he had been using her as an outlet for his rage, and now enough of his anger was spent that he warred with himself over his actions. Because he only came in here to use her as punching bag, not to question her and they both knew it.

The sound of voices came from right outside the tent, and Alaois gathered himself into the familiar stance of defiance as two Centaurs and the kings ducked into the tent. The four stopped in horror as they stared first at the now bloody and battered form of Katerina then at Alaois with his hands stained by her blood. Oreius was the first to recover. "What have you done, Alaois?"

Alaois snorted in disgust, "I am getting answers from the witch."

Ardon gave him an incredulous look. "Really? And has she said anything around the gag?"

Alaois tossed his head insolently. "Not yet, but now she knows the consequences for any more lies she might be tempted to tell us. She will be more compliant and forthcoming now."

The kings stared at him in disbelief and outrage before the High King spoke in a very controlled voice, "That is your excuse for your conduct? You beat her. No, you _tortured_ her as a discouragement against future lies? Your anger, prejudices and hatred have blinded you so completely that you break every code of conduct that Narnia's soldiers are to apply to themselves, which includes the fact that the use of torture against any prisoner, suspected witch or not, is forbidden. This was not an attempt at questioning, Alaois, it was just an excuse for you to torture someone whom you blame for the death of your cousin. I warned you that there would be consequences if you continued to allow your prejudices and hatred to rule you, and as of this moment, you are suspended from all duties. I am sending Ptah to Cair Paravel with a message for Queen Susan and he will also escort you to the army barracks where you will isolate yourself from the other soldiers and await our return at which time we will determine the full extent of the consequences your actions have earned. Do you understand?"

"Yes, your majesty." Alaois gave a jerky bow then exited the tent.

Oreius stepped forward and removed Katerina's gag. She wiggled her jaw experimentally and was a little surprised that nothing seemed to have been knocked loose during Alaois' "interrogation." She kept quiet though and just waited for somebody to say something. Peter shook his head, "Look, I'm sorry this happened. You may be a traitor and possibly a witch but no one deserves to be treated this way, not even you."

Katerina shook her head, "You're wrong." She waited until all four of them were looking at her then continued. "I am not a witch nor am I a traitor, not to you, not to Narnia, and definitely not to Lucy."

Oreius flicked his tail. "I heard your conversation with the Werewolves. I heard them give you a message from your master, the one who is behind all this. How can you expect us to believe that you are neither traitor nor witch?"

"Obviously, you didn't hear the whole conversation otherwise you wouldn't be accusing me of treachery. Look, I don't know who this Jannes person is, but he is apparently very determined to frame me for his actions. I know this sounds crazy but hear me out before you execute me for things I haven't done." Peter and Edmund exchanged a look then nodded and Katerina continued. "Okay, here's what happened. After I regained consciousness, I tried to find the Werewolves who had taken Lucy. I couldn't find them, I'm not that good at tracking people in the dark. Instead, they found me. It was the twenty of them to the one of me, so when they said their leader had a message from their master concerning Lucy I agreed to go with them. Of course, when I met with their leader in that gully he refused to tell me the message. I argued with him and then he starts going on about how their master sends his greetings and wants me to join him for the ritual. I guess that is the part of the conversation you overheard, Oreius. But, I am telling y'all that I have no idea what they were talking about, I really don't."

Peter sighed, "Why should we believe you? Katerina, everything you just said makes you look guilty not innocent. How can we trust you?"

Katerina leaned forward as far as her bonds would allow, trying to convey her sincerity. "I know that everything that has happened today and everything I just told you doesn't look good for me. I'm not trying to save myself, really the only person I want to save is Lucy. I don't know who Jannes is, but somehow he knows me and he wants you to believe that I am his tool or accomplice or whatever. The one good thing about that is I know where the Werewolves are taking Lucy, if they aren't there by now. Moreover, I have a plan for getting her out alive and taking care of this Jannes and his army of minions at the same time. So, all that's left is for you to decide whether you are going to hear me out or not."

Ardon shifted his weight as he stared down at Katerina before speaking. "My kings, she could be only telling us this in an attempt to get us to release her. There is no proof she is telling the truth and the Werewolves' interaction with her speak against her."

Katerina Alambiel saw her fate when she looked into the eyes of the kings and the two Centaurs. She nodded to herself then eased back against the pole. It was going to be a hard night and she prayed Lucy would forgive her in the end.

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**A/N: Please read and review! Your reviews help me to feed my muse. What do y'all think will happen next? Click the little review button below and let me know your thoughts.**


	18. Chapter Seventeen: Escaping

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Seventeen: Escaping

They had felt sorry for her and loosened her bonds slightly before they left. She was grateful for that small act of compassion because it meant she was able to wriggle her hand free after only a few moments. She remained motionless as a Faun stuck his head in the tent to check on her. Then as soon as he ducked out again, she quietly crawled to the other side of the tent. She had spent the last hour timing the one guard who patrolled behind the tents and she had about fifteen minutes before he would return this way. She carefully crept out from under the tent edge, staying low to the ground as she worked her way to the woods only four feet away from the back of the tent. Katerina didn't waste any time and as soon as she entered the tree line she was up and running deeper into the forest.

She passed by a hill and hurried along a small creek. A soft growl came from just ahead and she stopped. A Werewolf appeared from behind a thicket dragging a terrified horse behind him. Katerina hauled herself into the saddle and nodded to the Werewolf. "Take me to Jannes."

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Four shapes appeared on top of the hill and watched in silence as Katerina Alambiel disappeared into the trees following her Werewolf guide. The shortest of the four turned to the others, "Look's like I was right, Peter. Katerina Alambiel is going to lead us to Lucy one way or another."

"Yes, Edmund, you were right after all. Now, let's focus on tracking them without being seen before we're in position. Come on." The four figures melted back into the shadows as they continued tracking Katerina Alambiel to the sorcerer's lair.

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**A/N: Uh oh, what has happened? Is Katerina on Narnia's side or is she really working for Jannes? Is she innocent or not? Please read and review if you want the answers to these questions and more. Next chapter features the Sorcerer's Lair and the begining of the climax. Only a couple of chapters left folks! Click the little review button below and tell what y'all think is going to happen and cast your vote as to whether our Katerina is a good guy or a bad guy. Oh, and if I get five new reviews, I will post the next humongous, chock-full-of-juicy-details-about-Jannes chapter tonight.**


	19. Chapter Eighteen: The Sorcerer's Lair 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Note: The name, Esti, is pronounced Esh-tee.

Chapter Eighteen: The Sorcerer's Lair, Part One

Katerina Alambiel followed the Werewolf deep into a labyrinth of tunnels and caves, steadily ignoring the growls coming from the dark maws of many of the caves. The Werewolf snarled at her as they came to a halt in front of a pair of doors covered with carvings of skulls and scenes of sacrificial rituals. "Wait here, I'll see if Master wants to see you now."

Katerina nodded a curt dismissal and studied the tapestry hanging on the far wall. It depicted a man covered in blood as he wielded knife and spear against his enemies. A closer look revealed his enemies as Centaurs and he stood on the bodies of several Centaur children while in the background a castle with startling similarity to Cair Paravel was depicted engulfed in flames. Katerina kept her face free of any emotion as she causally turned away from the tapestry and continued waiting. _Note to self, Jannes really hates Centaurs and Cair Paravel._

She stood at ease with her hands down by her sides, ignoring the way some of the Fell Beasts were peeking around the corner because of the blood they smelled. Her wounds were still bleeding and she had left a blood trail from the time she entered the labyrinth to now as she waited to cross the threshold into the heart of the sorcerer's lair. She ignored the blood dripping down her fingers to land in a puddle by her feet the same way she ignored the increasingly excited Fell Beasts. After five minutes, the Werewolf who acted as her guide returned and bowed as he swung the doors open. "Please enter, mistress. Master is most eager to see you."

Katerina Alambiel did not hesitate in the least; instead, she strode into the half-lit room with her head high. She gave the two Werewolves standing just in front of the shadowed dais a dismissive glance although she did note the scratches marring the smaller one's muzzle. She raised an eyebrow at the braziers of green fire. "It's a bit on the theatrical side for my taste, but it does achieve your apparent goal of clarifying to anyone visiting that this is most definitely the evil sorcerer's throne room."

A cackle filled the room as Katerina turned back to the dais. "Ah, my dear Katerina Alambiel, you are such a character. I should have expected that though, after all, I have watched you for such a very long time and I know how you will react to most situations. Especially since I am the one who taught you how to react. Though, it doesn't seem that you took to heart my lesson about not trusting anybody. You look like several people have tried to teach that lesson to you the hard way, or was it just one suspicious and prejudiced Satyr?"

Katerina tapped her right forefinger against her lips in mock thought before she stared at the spot the voice was coming from. "Let me see, no I don't recall anyone calling themselves Jannes being one of my teachers. And since you are from this world and I am not, then you couldn't possibly have had a hand in the lessons I learned growing up. Although, you strike me as the type of man who would have enjoyed teaching me some of the harder lessons in my life. However, you do seem to have the advantage of knowing who I am, so why don't you return the favor? Who are you?"

"I? I am Jannes the Great the rightful king of Narnia and I will have my kingdom back even if I must burn it to the ground then rebuild it in my image."

Katerina Alambiel tilted her head to the side as she peered at the shadowed dais. "If you are the rightful king of Narnia why do four siblings now rule with Aslan's blessings?"

A scream of rage issued from the darkness and she could hear Jannes leap to his feet as he howled. "I AM THE RIGHTFUL KING OF NARNIA! The Lion made a mistake when he allowed those children to sit in Cair Paravel as rulers for they know nothing of greatness. I am Jannes the Great, I am the king, I am the most powerful sorcerer in the world, and I am the one who will win the game. My fool of a father banished me, but I am going to have the last word. Yes, I will win and prove them all wrong, every last one of them."

Jannes stopped for a breath and Katerina asked another question. "Why were you banished?"

"Why? Because my father didn't understand that I was pursuing a power that would protect Narnia forever. Instead, he listened to that Centaur general of his who told him that I was breaking Aslan's laws with my pursuits and needed to be dealt with before I became more of a danger to the innocents. What fools! They had no idea that I was to be Narnia's savior, that I would keep everything and everyone in Narnia perfect and safe. So a few undesirables had to die in order for me to achieve the power, what did it matter if I was right and kept Narnia safe from Jadis and her sorcery? I realized what they did not, I had to use the same magic Jadis used if I was going to defeat her. However, the Centaurs protested and they led my father into believing the lies that I was a bigger danger than Jadis until he did the unthinkable and banished me, his firstborn son, his heir. Instead, he made my youngest brother the new heir while I was driven from Narnia's borders. And, we saw just how well my brother and his descendents protected Narnia when Jadis took over, didn't we? But, now I have been given the opportunity to secure Narnia for my own as the rightful blood heir to the throne."

Katerina didn't blink as she listened to the sorcerer's convoluted tale, "So you seek revenge against a parent long dead? That just makes you petty, not great."

Jannes suddenly stepped off the dais and into the green glow of the braziers. Katerina was hard-pressed to keep her shock from showing as she stared at him. Once he would have been called a man but now he was a monstrosity of melted and twisted flesh. Jagged scars ran across his face pulling the right side into a warped scowl while the left side had a waxy sheen. What hair he had hung in limp grayish-white patches scattered haphazardly amongst the puckering and, in some cases, oozing scars covering his skull. His left hand was burned and twisted until it was essentially warped bones covered by thin, see-through skin, but his right hand looked normal. The rest of his body was swathed in a voluminous black cape, which mercifully prevented Katerina from seeing whether there was even more damage to his body. His mouth opened and she nearly gagged at the stench of rot and decay.

She thought he was about to start screaming again, but he maintained his composure as he circled her. "Petty is what the Centaurs did to me when they discovered the extent of my studies through trickery. I am not petty. Otherwise, I would have wiped out every last Centaur in Narnia when I learned what they had done. Do you know what they did, my dear Katerina Alambiel? The Centaur general began to notice that I was in areas of Narnia at the same time when certain misfortunes would occur and he jumped to the conclusion that I was somehow responsible for those misfortunes. So, he sought a way to destroy me. I was a very private man and only one other soul knew what area I was studying, but she thought I was merely looking for ways to counteract the black magic. She was innocent of the world in that way. The Centaur asked her what I was studying and she told him because he played on her innocence and convinced her that he was trying to help me. She told him about the books and papers I kept in my study under lock and key and what nights I was always gone because I would send her messages telling her not to worry I was just taking care of some research. The next night I left to finish my greatest research endeavor and he, with my father at his side, followed me and watched as I performed the ritual I needed to complete the transformation. Of course, they interfered when it came to the final act, the sacrifice of an innocent. They stopped the ritual and dragged me back to Cair Paravel where I was held prisoner for nearly a fortnight while they and the rest of the council debated my fate. In the end, they chose to banish me. But, the good general wasn't finished yet because the day before I was to be shown to the western border he went to my betrothed, my sweet and innocent Esti, and told her everything I was accused of and everything he had seen me do."

Jannes paused then pointed to a long sword displayed on the wall between two of the green braziers. "That was her sword. Esti was such a conundrum as she was both innocent of how much of the world works and she was renowned for her skill with the blade. When I left the first time I tried to get her to come with me, to see how I was better for her and for Narnia if only I held the secret to long life, I wanted to make her my empress, but she refused. The Centaur corrupted her and convinced her that there was no hope for me, that I was so evil I would never turn back to the light and that even if I had loved her once, I no longer did. The only thing he was right about was that I will not return to the accursed light or the Lion, for in the darkness all is perfection and none can see anything but what I tell them to see. After twelve long years, I finally completed the ritual and won the long life I needed to rule Narnia in perfect darkness forever, but when I ventured back into Narnia to find my beloved Esti, I discovered that not only had the Centaur general convinced her that what we had was not really love, but to be his. You see, she was a nymph, the most beautiful of them all and she was supposed to be mine forever. The Centaur took her from me and they had children, three sons, by the time I returned. I confronted Esti when the good general left to attend a council and I offered her the chance to be my empress, but she refused. She said she loved Kyros, not me, and she drew that sword to make me leave. Her sons she sent running for help as she backed me away from their house, but as we passed her tree, I told her that if I could not have her, Kyros would not be allowed to have her either. I spoke the words of magic and her tree erupted into flames, then I took the sword as a souvenir for I did love her and I left while she lay dying."

Katerina repressed a shudder as she listened to Jannes describe the murder of someone whom he claimed to love with the casual air of a person observing the weather. Jannes circled in front of her again and stroked the right side of his face ruefully. "Of course, when Kyros learned what I had done, he wanted revenge. He told my father it was justice, but I know the truth it was revenge pure and simple. I had forgotten just how fast an angry Centaur could run, so he caught me just after I crossed the Narnian border. He called me a murderer, I corrected him, told him how it was really he who murdered Esti because he had stolen her from me, and then he had the gall to call me a mad man. I'm not mad, you know, just very driven. Our battle was the stuff of legends. At the end of it, I cast another fire spell trapping Kyros in a circle with me as more Centaurs arrived to help destroy me. I would have killed him, but he tricked me into an impossible situation and I fell into my own flames. I escaped the flames only to be cast into a pit of spear-like rocks where I lay like one dead. Kyros and the other Centaurs assumed I was indeed dead and left me there. I was trapped until a group of Werewolves found me and I offered them the opportunity for revenge against Narnia if they pledged their loyalty and that of their descendents to me. So, I am still here while Kyros, my father, and the others who sought to stop me have all returned to the dust. This is why I am Jannes the Great! I am the only human still alive after eight hundred and forty-two years and I will remain alive forever in the darkness."

Katerina maintained an even, almost uninterested tone, "Well, that's quite a story. Congratulations on being the most twisted, sick-minded, and evil individual I've ever had the misfortune to meet. Now, why don't you tell me where the girl is before time runs out?"

Jannes cackled and waved the larger of the two Werewolves forward. "Isak, show our Alambiel where we have placed the girl for safekeeping." The Werewolf snarled at Katerina as he walked to one of the braziers, grabbed an unlit torch, and transferred the green flames to another brazier closer to dais. Katerina barely kept herself from crying out as the dancing flames cast their light upon the wall and revealed Lucy hanging by her wrists. The flames cast eerie shadows across the walls and Lucy, but Katerina could easily see that her face was bruised and one eye was swollen shut. She feared what other unseen injuries Lucy might have sustained tonight.

She forced herself to turn back to Jannes with an air of nonchalance. "This qualifies as safekeeping? You've hung her up like a slab of meat."

Jannes twisted his mouth into what she guessed was supposed to be a smirk. "An accurate description since she is to serve as the first sacrifice. Now, shall we get to business?"

Katerina raised her chin and smiled. "Yes, let's get down to business. It's past time for us to begin."

Jannes cackled. "I knew, I knew you would be the perfect one to help me achieve this most glorious of accomplishments. For you, Katerina Alambiel, you are just like me."

Katerina leaned in toward Jannes and whispered, "Are you sure about that?"

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**A/N: And, now we know why Jannes is doing what he's been doing...other than that he's an evil lunatic of a sorcerer. Please read and review! Tell me what you think about Jannes' background. Did you expect it? Or were you thinking he was someone else? Also, there are several hints about future events hidden in Jannes' story. Think y'all can find them and figure them out? ;) Next chapter is another big one. Click the little review button below and let me know what y'all think as the story heads into the home stretch 'cause there are only three chapters left.**


	20. Chapter Nineteen: The Sorcerer's Lair 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T..

Chapter Nineteen: The Sorcerer's Lair, Part Two

They had taken the Fell Beasts by surprise when they followed Katerina and the Werewolf to the sorcerer's lair, allowing them to enter without detection fifteen minutes after Katerina had disappeared inside. Now they worked quickly and efficiently to eliminate as many of the Fell Beasts as they could before an alarm was sounded. They needed to be closer to the heart of the lair before the real battle began. Oreius prayed to Aslan that this plan actually worked or they would all lose their lives within this labyrinth.

A Ghoul rounded the corner and screeched before Edmund cut him down, and they could hear answering cries start to echo down the tunnels ahead of them. Oreius swapped his two swords for his claymore as Peter raised Rhindon and shouted, "For Narnia and for Aslan!" Oreius and the rest of the soldiers joined their voices with Peter's until the tunnels nearly vibrated with the cry. "For Narnia and for Aslan!"

Stealth was no longer needed and Oreius gladly charged through the tunnels cutting down any Fell Beast who got in his way. He kept an eye on Sefu who was following a trail of blood that should lead them straight to the heart of the sorcerer's lair. Together, with the kings following right behind them, the Centaur and the Leopard charged deeper into the labyrinth while other soldiers split off to purge the rest of the tunnels of the Fell Beasts. _Aslan, let us find the sorcerer before he harms the queen. Please let this work._

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Katerina felt a flicker of satisfaction as she watched the triumphant confidence in Jannes' good eye fade to something less certain. "What have you done, girl?"

She smirked at him. "Exactly what needed to be done to take care of business, Jannes."

A roar came from beyond the doors and Jannes flinched when the words "Narnia" and "Aslan" came through clearly. He hissed in rage, "No. I won't let this happen. You are to help me reclaim my throne, not interfere with my plans." He called over his shoulder. "Isak, kill the little queen." He turned back to Katerina Alambiel with a triumphant leer. "What are you going to do now, my little pawn?"

She looked over his shoulder and laughed, "Well, I'm not going to worry about Isak."

Jannes stared at her in disbelief then twisted around only to see both Werewolves fleeing through the trapdoor in the ceiling of his throne room. He shrieked in outrage. "No! What are you doing? You owe me your allegiance. Curs, mongrels, be cursed to serve my kind forever or until one of my blood sits on the throne of Narnia!"

Katerina knew the moment he had spotted her because he started screaming, "NO! DO NOT TOUCH THAT SWORD!" She ignored him and jumped up to pull the sword from its wall mount. She freed it from its sheath and whirled to face Jannes, but he had stopped and just stood staring at the sword in her hands with utter disbelief. "How? This cannot be. It is impossible." He stumbled backwards as Katerina lifted the sword and dropped into a ready stance, then he looked at Lucy who was still chained to the wall.

Katerina shifted until she was in front of Lucy, but the chains put Lucy's head and most of her upper torso a half foot above Katerina's head. It would be difficult to protect Lucy if she continued hanging up there. With his good hand, Jannes pulled a dagger out from the folds of his cloak. He threw it at Lucy, who let out a terrified scream.

Katerina jumped up and swung Esti's sword with all her might against the chains, praying the trick would actually work. With a metallic ring, the chains snapped under the force of the blow and Katerina fell back to the floor with Lucy landing on top of her. She shifted Lucy over so that she was in between Lucy and Jannes. She raised the sword again and watched Jannes for some sign of what his next move would be.

Then a shout rang out from just outside the throne room, "Lucy! Lucy, where are you?"

Katerina never looked away from Jannes, but she could easily hear the relief in Lucy's voice when she started shouting, "Here! Peter! We're in here! Help!"

Jannes growled and threw a large flat dish at them, then he fled into a tunnel behind his throne. She grabbed Lucy around the waist and dragged her out of the way as the dish clattered against the wall leaving a trail of dark liquid dripping from the point of impact. Katerina pulled Lucy back against one of the braziers before she stood up again. "Stay here. Tell your brothers and Oreius that I'm sorry for the mess but I have to go after Jannes." Lucy nodded and Katerina pulled a torch free of its wall scone before she too ran down the tunnel behind the throne.

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Lucy jumped in fright when the doors to the throne room were slammed open, then she relaxed as soon as she saw it was Oreius who burst into the room with her brothers right behind him. "Peter! Edmund!"

They spotted her by the brazier and she watched looks of shock and rage appear on all three of their faces before Peter and Edmund ran over and dropped to their knees beside her. Peter carefully ran his fingers over her bruised face and swollen eye before he engulfed her in a warm hug. "Thank Aslan, you're all right, Lucy."

Edmund glanced around the room then turned to Lucy with a puzzled look, "Where's Katerina? She was supposed to meet us here."

Lucy gasped, "Oh, no. I almost forgot. Katerina asked me to tell you three that she's sorry for the mess but she had to go after Jannes."

Peter frowned, "Which way did they go, Lu?" She pointed at the wall behind the throne. Peter nodded and was about to speak when Sefu stepped into the room followed by Ardon and one of the army healers.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Oreius stamped his left fore hoof and gave Peter and Edmund a stern look. "Wolfsbane, How, stay with your sister. I will go after Katerina Alambiel and the sorcerer. Sefu, Ardon, remain with them. I will return as soon as possible with Katerina Alambiel." Lucy noticed that nobody argued with Oreius, instead Ardon just handed him a torch that she was inordinately pleased to see had a normal orange flame. The healer started fussing over her, but she hardly noticed his presence as she started to pray. _Oh, Aslan, please guard Katerina and Oreius against Jannes' schemes. Protect them please. Please help them to defeat Jannes and then come home in one piece. Please, Aslan help them. Protect them._

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Oreius kept up a quick pace as he journeyed down the tunnel, though he had been forced to slow down from a gallop in order to avoid constantly hitting his head against the low roof of the tunnel. He rounded a bend and was pleased to see Katerina Alambiel running just ahead of him. The tunnel suddenly widened into another room and Katerina moved down the steps with her sword held at the ready. Oreius approached the tunnel opening and Jannes hurled himself around a pillar and shoved a lever down. The brief sound of metal scraping against stone was the only warning Oreius had before rods of barbed metal slammed point first into the rock floor of the tunnel and effectively cut him off from entering the room or reaching Katerina Alambiel. She stared at him in wide-eyed disbelief while Jannes started laughing manically on the other side of the room. _Aslan, I pray You give Katerina Alambiel the strength to face this confrontation with the sorcerer and win. She needs it. Guide her hands as she battles this servant of darkness._

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**A/N: Please read and review! There are only two chapters left in this story. If I get 3 new reviews by tonight, I will post them back-to-back tonight instead of waiting until tomorrow. Click the little review button below and let me know what y'all think about the story and if you think it will be Katerina or Jannes who will win the upcoming fight.**


	21. Chapter Twenty: Confrontation

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Twenty: Confrontation

Katerina Alambiel could not believe she had just been trapped in the same room as the insane lunatic who had just tried to kill her and Lucy. It was a good thing she didn't believe in luck because hers was absolutely horrible. She glanced over her shoulder to see Oreius watching through the bars of the gate, he nodded when he realized she was looking at him, and she tightened her grip on Esti's sword. If God was willing, she would get through this alive and preferably whole. She turned her attention back to Jannes who was holding a sword in his good hand, but he still hadn't moved from his spot next to the lever.

Maybe she could distract him enough that she could reverse the lever and allow Oreius into the room where he could defeat the sorcerer. She raised the sword and dropped into a fighting stance as Jannes slowly started to move toward her. He cackled then hissed at her, "You are pathetic, Katerina Alambiel. You fight for people who will gladly execute you tomorrow in spite of your actions here today. Why?"

She never took her eyes off him as she answered, "Because I believe in doing the right thing all the time, even when it probably won't end well for me. I will do the right thing even if it will cost me my life."

Jannes sneered at her, "Foolish girl, you want to die?"

"No. I don't want to die, but unlike you, Jannes, I am not afraid of dying. So, I will gladly lay down my life for the sake of others."

Jannes lunged at her left, forcing Katerina to counter with a hasty overhand block. He broke off his attack and they circled each other, waiting for the other to make a mistake. Jannes shook his head in disbelief as Katerina continued to force her battered and wounded body to match him move for move. "You are a fool. You could have lived forever as my servant, but you never realized what I was offering you, did you? So many times, I entered your dreams and offered my hand to you, but you always ran or hid from me. I know what it is like to have phantom pains, Katerina Alambiel, and I could have taken it all away but you are so stubborn about joining me in my quest for immortality."

She was almost to the lever. All she needed to do was distract him a little longer. Katerina scoffed, "You're the real fool, Jannes. The road you're on will not lead to anything but eternal darkness and pain. I would rather live one short life full of pain I must endure temporarily and end my days experiencing the true immortality granted in Aslan's country than join in a quest born of such hopelessness and fear. I pity you, Jannes, that you are so afraid of death as to resort to committing these depraved acts in a vain attempt to achieve immortality."

Jannes screamed in fury at her words and rushed at her with his sword level with her chest. Katerina blocked his charge, but then her boot slipped on a slick stone and she fell back against one of the columns. Jannes gazed down at her in triumph and he plunged his sword down only to have it skid across the stones when Katerina rolled to her right. Gripping Esti's sword in her right hand, Katerina Alambiel raced over to the lever with Jannes right behind her. She threw it and the metal gates slowly retreated into the ceiling. Oreius gave a sudden shout, "Behind you! Sword up!" She automatically whirled around raising the sword at the same time and came face to face with Jannes. He looked down in disbelief and she followed his gaze to see that he had run himself onto her sword when he tried to attack. Oreius entered the room and crossed the distance between them as Jannes stared at Katerina and whispered, "Esti." The sorcerer who called himself Jannes the Great slumped to the ground and the weight of his body caused him to slide off the blade and land in a crumpled heap before Katerina Alambiel's feet.

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**A/N: So, that's the end of Jannes. Please read and review! And Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!**


	22. Chapter TwentyOne: Going Home

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: A stranger arrives in Narnia one year after the Pevensies begin their reign. Accused of being a witch herself, she risks her life in an attempt to save young Queen Lucy from falling prey to a terrible plot.

Warning: There will be mentions of torture, murder, and some scary moments. So, this is a mid to high T.

Chapter Twenty-One: Going Home

Oreius quietly walked beside Katerina Alambiel as they exited the tunnel leading into the throne room. She hadn't said a word since the fight ended, but he believed it was mainly due to the shock of having to kill her first man. It was different when you had to kill for the first time and it wasn't one of the Fell Beasts who are monstrous enough that you can push it from your mind more easily than with others. They reached the throne room to find it deserted, Oreius stepped forward but he stopped when he saw Katerina still hadn't moved from the tunnel archway. He was about to say something when she ran to the only corner of the room not covered in blood and promptly vomited.

He gently placed a hand on her back and rubbed in a small circle. "The first time is always the worst."

He handed her his water skin and waited while she poured some into her hands, sipped it, then spat it out coughing. She tried to hand it back without taking an actual drink and he gave her the stern look reserved for his students. She meekly drank some water under his watchful gaze. She looked at him then glanced away at the wall mount holding a sword scabbard. Oreius walked over to it and pulled it free, then he tossed her a rag. "Clean your sword."

She followed his instructions then sheathed the sword and held it out to him. "Here, you should take this not me. Jannes said it belonged to the Nymph Esti, wife of General Kyros. Can you give it to their descendents?"

Oreius stared at the sword in undisguised awe, but he refused to take it. "If this is the sword of Esti, you are now its chosen bearer. It is a sword of wondrous capabilities but only its chosen warrior can wield this weapon without consequences. I saw the ease with which you fought, and most people would never have been able to adhere to their training so perfectly with a strange weapon, not unless they were warriors of advanced skill. And, though you are a quick study, you still have much to learn before anyone would think of calling you a warrior of advanced skill. I know a descendent of Kyros and Esti and he would want you to have it. Take it and bear it well for this is Chrysaor, the sword of Esti."

She hesitated then nodded as she carefully slung the sword belt over her shoulder like a baldric, allowing the sword of Esti to lie flat along her back. She looked up at him, "Thank you for believing me back at the camp. I'm glad the plan worked, especially since I had no idea how I was going to pull off my end of the bargain."

Oreius shook his head as he led the way into the tunnels, "I had my doubts about this plan of yours, but fortunately for us all, it did work though not always in the way we had it planned out. However, I suggest you don't tell the kings that you were unsure of whether your own plan would work or not."

She waved a dismissive hand. "All I know is it did work, although I got hit a lot more than I thought I was going to when I started planning this whole thing out."

Oreius clapped a hand on her shoulder, but he didn't answer as they emerged from the Labyrinth and into the light of a rising sun. Katerina blinked and raised a hand to shield her eyes. She absently played with the two golden pendants on her necklace and, in the light, he could see that they were a lion and a cross. She dropped them and looked up at him with a smile, "You know you were right when you said that we are given the darkness so the light will shine all the brighter in comparison to it. Thank you for reminding me of that truth."

Oreius smiled back at her, but a shout prevented him from answering as the kings rode up with Lucy safely perched in front of Peter and Sefu and Ardon right behind them. Lucy grinned at them in spite of her bruises, "There you two are, we were starting to get worried."

The High King caught Oreius' gaze and he easily read the concern in the king's eyes. "The sorcerer Jannes is dead, your majesties. He will trouble us no more."

Lucy looked at Katerina Alambiel and smiled. "So, are you ready to go home to Cair Paravel, Kat?"

Katerina suddenly looked hopeful, "Does this mean I'm not going to be thrown in the dungeons as soon as we get back?"

Edmund smirked, "Nope, just a bath." He paused then asked, "What's wrong, Katerina?"

Katerina looked pained as she answered in a low voice, "I just started thinking about what's on me and I'm not sure where all of it came from, so I'm going to Cair Paravel for the bath. And, for the record, I hate Werewolves."

The royals started laughing while Ardon, Sefu, and Oreius were hard-pressed not to give in to their own laughter. Katerina rolled her eyes at them and started walking. After they caught up with her, Edmund and Philip talked Katerina into accepting a ride. Of course, she only did so after Oreius promised that multiple flights across the training yard would be in her future if she didn't get on. Oreius quietly thanked Aslan for awakening a light in the darkness and saving both Narnia and the Daughters of Eve from Jannes' grasp. A shout of laughter reminded him to ask for even more patience now that Katerina Alambiel was going home to Cair Paravel, and he thought it highly doubtful that she would be leaving any time soon.

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**A/N: Oh, look I didn't kill either of the girls...beat them up terribly yes, kill no. This tale is ended but it is not the end of Katerina's story, my friends. It is only the beginning of the adventure. Click the little review button below and let me know if you liked this story and if you would like to read more adventures involving Katerina, the Pevensies, and Oreius.**


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